Can Weed Prevent The Spread Of Covid-19? This Study By Canadian Scientists Might Surprise You

Marijuana has always been known to have medicinal values.

But little did we know that it may also have an immunity against the coronavirus. (Don’t get us wrong, smoking marijuana will not make you coronavirus-proof.)

As according to a study titled ‘In Search of Preventative Strategies: Novel Anti-Inflammatory High-CBD Cannabis Sativa Extracts Modulate ACE2 Expression in COVID-19 Gateway Tissues’ by Canadian scientists at the University of Lethbridge, it has been found that certain strains of cannabis can help prevent the virus.

The researchers involved in the study apparently studied over 400 cannabis strains before creating 400 new cannabis Sativa extracts. They ensured that the end-strains were high in anti-inflammatory cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD), in which has anti-cancer properties.

Lead researcher, Dr. Igor Kovalchuk who is a biological scientist added that some of the strains showed promising results in ensuring less fertile ground for the virus to take root, after using artificial human 3-D tissue models to stimulate and map out how each strain may impact COvid-19 infections in the human oral, airways and intestinal tissues.

“A number of them have reduced the number of these (virus) receptors by 73%, the chances of it getting in is much lower. If they can reduce the number of receptors, there’s much less chances of getting infected,” said Dr. Kovalchuk.

The results currently cannot be taken as conclusive evidence of cannabis’s ability to treat the Covid-19 virus as the findings have yet to be peer-reviewed and other various factors, but with peer-reviewing and more research, Dr. Kovalchuk is confident that the study can be practiced through mouth washes, inhalants and gel capsules.

Considering that PH had initially aimed to decriminalise drug possession for personal use by the end of their first term, maybe the current authorities could look into this matter and take things into consideration.

What do you think about this? Let us know in the comment section. 

Also read: Malaysians Can Grow Their Own Marijuana with Permission from MOH