Cannabis As a Potential COVID-19 Treatment?

Before you get too excited, this IN NO WAY means using cannabis can treat COVID-19. After all, we’re cannabis marketing experts, not scientists.

We’re not advising you rush out and start consuming cannabis any more than we’d suggest ingesting disinfectants (ahem).

But Israeli researchers have been busy these days conducting clinical trials looking at cannabis as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

More specifically, they’re studying how CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties could play an effective role in stopping or slowing the virus.

Clinical Trials in Israel

Enter InnoCan Pharma.

InnoCan Pharma is a specialty pharmaceutical company which operates in Israel and Canada. The objective of InnoCan is to harness the power of cannabinoids to target a range of health problems.

Numerous studies have shown CBD can help regulate the body’s immune system and reduce inflammation. The clinical trials conducted in Israel will study how CBD could work alongside existing treatment options.

Study #1

In a collaboration with Tel Aviv University, the first clinical trial will study the effects of instilling CBD medicine through exosomes. Exosomes are the small cell structures that are generated when stem cells multiply.

Because exosomes are uniquely qualified to target cell organs that have been damaged by COVID-19, researchers believe that CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties could synergistically repair those cells.

So how will they do this? Since the virus attacks the respiratory system, patients will receive CBD-enriched exosomes through an inhalation device.

Study #2

A second clinical trial will study ten COVID-19 patients who are currently undergoing treatment in Israel’s Rabin Medical Center.

Since hospitalized COVID-19 patients are primarily treated with steroids, doctors there want to study the effects of combining CBD with those steroid treatments. The belief is that CBD will enhance their therapeutic potential.

If their estimation is correct, it will lead to faster recovery for severely ill patients. And should the study prove successful, there are plans in place to expand the treatment to 40 additional patients.

Study #3

A third study focuses on moderate COVID-19 patients.

Launched by Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Medical Center, this study will investigate CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties and its potential to lower the respiratory symptoms experienced by those not quite as hard-hit as the those with severe cases.

Meanwhile, Back in North America

Our enlightened neighbor to the north (that would be Canada) has intentions to study not only what role marijuana can play in slowing COVID-19, but how marijuana’s anti-inflammatory properties could fortify current treatments.

Since marijuana is STILL federally prohibited in the United States though, there simply isn’t the quite the same funding as in Canada. Even so, there is a preliminary study looking at the impact of COVID-19 on medical marijuana patients.

Led by the University of Miami, the study will look at data collected on the patterns and trends of these patients during the coronavirus outbreak. The researchers will use an anonymous survey of medical marijuana patients to obtain information regarding their mental health and physical health. They will also examine any changes in a patient’s frequency of use of cannabis, dosage, and means of consumption.

Their ultimate goal is to have cannabis users from every country complete the survey resulting in more generalized data.

Using Cannabis As a Potential COVID-10 Treatment

There’s no arguing that these are strange and even troubling times. So it makes sense that the scientific community would be looking at cannabis as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

It’s proven to help in so many ways already.

And during these challenging times, know that we’re in your corner. It’s important to keep your cannabis business in the forefront of consumers’ minds. Let us help. Contact us today.