A lot of people around the world are stocking up on food and essential supplies to comply with public health regulations and prevent themselves and their loved ones from contracting COVID-19. If you are using medical marijuana, you may also have to stock up to cannabis. However, as the novel coronavirus impacts the lungs, the CDC has warned the public that smoking is not advisable at this time.

The Risks of Smoking

The majority of studies on lung damage from smoking concerns nicotine, not marijuana. For example, smoking tobacco can damage or kill the cilia of the lungs. Cilia are microscopic structures that help move anything that doesn’t belong such as bacteria, viruses, solid particles, and mucus out of the lungs. Compromised cilia as a result of long-term smoking, can put a person at risk of colds and more serious respiratory infections like pneumonia.

The novel coronavirus has effects that tend to come on much more quickly than smoking. It can quickly cause coughing, inflammation in the airways and lungs, and pneumonia. As pneumonia decreases the ability of the lungs to absorb oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, the majority of fatalities from the novel coronavirus have resulted from this complication.

Smoking marijuana frequently is associated with coughing, increased mucus production, and shortness of breath, indicating harm to the lungs. Although scientists have not found a clear connection between smoking marijuana and lung cancer, some experts assume that smoking cannabis may also damage cilia, reducing a smoker’s ability to fight off main infections such as coronavirus.

Should you Opt for Edibles Instead?

While vaping might be safer than smoking cannabis there is still not enough data on the long-term effects of vaping yet. That is why you will want to consider another mode of consumption at this moment.

Those who are at least 65 years old and have asthma, hypertension, and compromised immunity should consider warnings against lung irritation from smoking or vaping. However, younger, healthy people must also exercise caution.

Thankfully, many cannabis products do not require inhalation. Your options include cannabis edibles to meet your medical marijuana needs. Marijuana edibles are cannabis-infused foods and beverages designed to be swallowed and ingested. They provide delayed but extended and more intense effects when compared to smoking cannabis. For most consumers, the kind of edibles that are most appealing are baked goods such as cookies and brownies, as well as chocolate.