by Tab Moura
Well, it’s that time of year again… The time of year where even if they weren’t asking everyone to wear masks, I would 100% be wearing a face-covering outside. It’s asthma season. I’ve been living with asthma for about 10 years. There are a lot of opinions about what improves, and what worsens, things like asthma… at the time of writing this, I’m watching snow fall, my joints are screaming, and I’m daydreaming of kids going to bed so I can curl up with my favorite concentrate. Like many of you, I have multiple health conditions that I treat with cannabis, and I’m all too familiar with the drama of finding what works.
This amazing plant is a natural anti-inflammatory, which helps in hundreds of conditions, including asthma. While there are definitely some benefits to using inhaled medical cannabis for asthma, there are some potential risks as well. Let’s unpack this…
1. Inhalation: not one size fits all.
Inhaled flower may irritate your throat more than smoother alternatives, like vapor or dabs. It’s not an exact science, but some believe the reason why lies in how the flower combusts; the particles from the plant can catch in your throat and lead to coughing. One option is to take small puffs to minimize bronchospasms, some say humming helps, others prefer to avoid inhaling altogether and stick to oils, tinctures, and edibles.
2. Quality, quality, quality!
The variety of price points in our cannabis industry does not solely reflect on the quality of said products, but it can sometimes give you an idea of the care that went into those products. While all legal products are tested for things like chemicals, molds, and metals, we’re still talking about a plant and every patient’s experience may vary. I have found that no matter what, I must look at, and smell, my medicine to be sure it won’t trigger my asthma. 9 times out of 10, I pick products that agree with my lungs.
3. Terpenes
The cannabis plant has roughly a zillion strains at this point, respectfully, and even the ones with identical names may hit you differently. Some terpenes are directly linked to better breathing and immune support, like Pinene, Ocimene, and Caryophyllene, but this doesn’t automatically mean your lungs will be happy to see them. If you are terpene sensitive, it is mostly because you’re high maintenance like me, but don’t fret. If you do find a strain that consistently irritates your lungs, ask your Dispo to show you the labs or terpene profiles, so you can narrow down what’s bothering you. If you take nothing else away from what I’m sharing today, I hope you feel hopeful that cannabis can help you, even if you have asthma. The sky is the limit with plant medicine; may your medicine clouds treat you well.