Cannabinoids Open Airways for COPD

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not only a leading cause of disability in the U.S.A., it’s the sixth leading cause of death.  It’s estimated that 16 million adults are affected, with more than half of them being women and there are many who are yet to discover they have it.  COPD blankets two main lung diseases, emphysema and bronchitis; conditions caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lung, which in turn blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe.  “The leading cause of COPD is smoking, however 1 in 4 with COPD never smoked.”

 

What are the risk factors of COPD?

• Cigarette smoking
• Occupational exposures to chemicals
• Air pollution
• Genetics
• A history of childhood respiratory infections
• Smoke exposure from coal or wood burning stove
• Exposure to secondhand smoke
• History of asthma
• Underdeveloped lungs
• Aging

While there is no cure for COPD, there are ways to manage it.  Medical marijuana works in tandem with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a natural system of receptors located within the central and peripheral nervous systems.  The ECS plays a vital and modulatory role in respiratory homeostasis and pulmonary functionality.  Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD seem to be promising phytopharmaceuticals for treating COPD mainly because it has been shown to relieve inflammation and open the airways. “Medicinal benefits of THC also appear to be easily modulated by other cannabinoids…making fine tuning individual therapies with THC a very promising and future public health benefit.”   There are many ways to dose medical marijuana.  Edibles have become increasingly popular and readily available, offering those with breathing challenges a smoke-free, herbal aid for relief.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

• shortness of breath – this may only happen when exercising at first, and you may sometimes wake up at night feeling breathless
• a persistent chesty cough with phlegm that does not go away
• frequent chest infections
• persistent wheezing

Practicing breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking along with hemp-derived cannabinoid therapy, may help one feel better, stay more active and slow the progress of the disease.  Once again, CBD is a shining example of the profound medicinal qualities of cannabis.  “Studies of systemic administration have shown that CBD reduces the inflammation response and structural changes that take place during the remodeling process of asthma, as well as stunt inflammatory parameters following acute lung injury.”  It’s been noted that CBD can widen the airways, thus increasing airflow to the lungs.

Options to treat COPD:

• Quit smoking
• Use vaporizers or inhalers to make breathing easier
• Get pulmonary rehabilitation that includes exercise and education
• Try medical marijuana
• Oxygen therapy
• Other medications

 

Medical marijuana can be consumed legally with a medical card and cannabis products come in a variety of forms for dosing.  “While drug administration through inhalation is fast and effective, cannabinoids have been shown to influence respiratory rate through other routes of administration, as well as offering a more personalized treatment plan for patients who do not tolerate inhalation…”

Cannabis tinctures that include specific cannabinoids, such as THC, CBD and CBN are available online.   They are an ideal method for dosing as they contain live resin, which carries the many benefits the cannabis plant has to offer.  Studies performed at UCLA led by D. Tashkin in the 70’s, “showed that both inhaled and orally ingested THC produce bronchodilation for up to two hours after administration.  All smoke irritates the lungs and aggravates COPD, but vaporized or ingested cannabis could potentially provide many benefits because of its anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressant and broncho-dilating (airway opening) qualities.”