Sorry (not sorry) for the dramatic title, but the facts are clear: legalizing marijuana has opened the door to novel research and treatments that have the potential to save lives. 

Medical marijuana has been legalized in 36 states and FDA-approved for some research studies. There’s a long road ahead to rigorously researched and replicated findings, but hopeful signs are already emerging, with the freedom that legalization breeds. 

Let’s stop vilifying plants as one small step toward working with nature instead of against it. 

CBD May Block COVID-19 Infections

CBD is a non-psychoactive product of the cannabis plant, so getting stoned is not a pandemic prophylactic (sorry), but…

Researchers from the University of Chicago found that CBD can inhibit COVID-19 infection in human cells and in mice. One study looked at a national sample of patients taking high-purity CBD to treat epilepsy and found they had significantly lower chances of testing positive for COVID-19. This study demonstrated a correlation and future clinical studies are needed to determine whether CBD can actually be used for COVID-19 prevention.

Other studies have found that medical-grade CBD inhibits infection of SARS-CoV-2 by “potently” blocking replication in lung epithelial cells. 

NOTE: Do not try this at home, folks. This CBD is highly potent medical grade and you won’t find it in take-home gummies from your corner store.

Legalizing Cannabis Opens the Door to Healing

Early-stage studies admittedly do lack rigorous methodology, resulting in a high risk of bias.

That said, there’s a large array of applications with glowing anecdotal reports, including: 

• PTSD
• Chronic Pain
• Parkinson’s Disease 
• Fibromyalgia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Claims of effectiveness should be critically evaluated and treated with caution. But only a loosening of governmental restrictions on the study of cannabis can clear the way to high-quality research.