Herbs for Asthma: Cannabis
96Asthma Remedies: Context and a Promising Herb
I've known many people with asthma, and talked to a few doctors about it. I don't know what the latest Western medical treatments are, though, and I don't know which type is best. I myself am not a doctor.
Because asthma severity can vary a lot, and a person's other health conditions can be an important factor, I think it's important to be evaluated by an M.D. Asthma can be very dangerous, and following the protocols of mainstream Western medicine is sometimes the only way to stay alive.
OK, now that I won't be getting sued by anyone (I assume...), let me talk about herbal asthma treatment. This part is only for those who are already aware of their mainstream options.
If you want to use alternative treatments for asthma, there are many. I'm not an herbalist, either, but I've heard of a few herbal treatments. The one that comes to mind right now is Black Cohosh. I believe it is sometimes smoked to relieve asthma symptoms. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to smoke an asthma medicine, but many believe it's effective. More on that later.
If you really need to really find the best herbal treatment, I'd go to an herbalist for advice. Over the centuries, native people around the world have figured out which of their local herbs can help. Now that we can ship any herb anywhere in the world (more or less), there are lots of possibilities to consider. Herbalists can tell you which of the many herbs can be beneficial for your condition.
There is one herb that I've researched that shows promise: Cannabis. Known by many names, including marijuana, herb, dope, smoke, grass, weed, trees, Cannabis is the stuff everyone used to be so scared of. Now we know that it's an effective treatment for a variety of medical conditions, including asthma. In the U.S., many states are beginning to allow patients to use Cannabis as a medicine. Its value as a medicine is now recognized by some prestigious scientific and medical organizations.
Smoking marijuana can sometimes help with asthma symptoms and other respiratory problems. Again, it seems counter-intuitive, but it's true. It's a good cough supressant, for example.
Of course, the after-effects of smoking anything aren't great for your lungs, especially if you have a problem like asthma. Heavy pot smokers often cough a lot. It's not Cannabis' active components that cause this coughing, though. It's the particles of burned plant material in smoke that irritates your lungs. If you decide to go this route, it's important to use very potent material, so you can smoke a very small amount and still get the relief you need. Stronger marijuana is healthier to smoke than weaker marijuana.
If you don't like the idea of smoking, or your lungs don't tolerate it well, don't fret. This is one herb that can also be consumed orally. You can swallow a little Cannabis extract plain, or, as many prefer, you can put it into food and then eat it. The most well-known example would be "pot brownies." The only requirement for cooking with Cannabis is that it be combined with some kind of oil or fat. The useful chemicals will dissolve in oil, but not in water. Butter is the most common vehicle used for this purpose, probably because it's already a common ingredient in many baked goods. The butter or oil is infused with your herb, and then the oil can be used in your favorite recipe. The internet has plenty of marijuana recipies to browse through.
Smoking, then, is not necessary. Use some caution when taken the herb orally, though. In this form, a higher dose is needed to achieve effects. However, it's hard to estimate the right dose for any single person. I would strongly recommend starting with a very small dose, and gradually using more each time, until you learn how much you need. Wait at least a day between experiments. Be careful not to over-do it. It's not a dangerous drug, but too much of a good thing is very uncomfortable, and it can take a long time to wear off. Unlike smoking, where you can use a little at a time until you get the desired effect, eating marijuana is like an amusement park ride; you eat your brownie and wait to see if it's boring, just right, or way too scary. Either way, the ride will come to an end, though. Pay attention, but don't worry: there has never been a fatal marijuana overdose, not in all of the world's recorded history.
There are a great number of herbal asthma treatments, and this is only one of them. I'm describing its use here because the fear of using "drugs" often distracts people from the very real benefits Cannabis (sativa, indica or a hybrid of the two) has to offer. I hope this information is of some value to asthma sufferers.
Be well.
Update: how's it done?
Those who have recently decided to begin smoking marijuana may benefit from my hub on proper smoking technique.
Comments
I agree that it wouldn't be wise for an asthmatic to totally turn their back on mainstream medicine. It's a life or death decision, and pharmaceutical medications usually work very well. Thanks for your contribution, Deanna!
It works wonders for lots of things natures natural medicine. help fight to legalize this amazing wonder drug http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/marijuana-equali
Dear Sterling ~ Just learning how to use hubpages. I believe there is a way to inter-link hubs. I posted a comment about the benefit of using homeopathic cannibus, with no side effects, on another hub. Check it out...http://hubpages.com/hub/What-is-the-best-remedy-fo Indian Hemp comes from the Urticaceae plant family there is an article at HPATHY http://www.hpathy.com/materiamedica/allenkeynotes/ and a commentary written by Classical Homeopath Robert Lee Dalpé, N.D. on the substance at http://www.onlinehomeopath.com/canni.shtml
i agree iv had asthma 4 many years and i smoke a lot of pot and it dose help me but dont smoke to much coz u can get adickted i no iv been there. but with the right amout it dose work
cannabis is verry helpful for my asthma although smoking the drug is bad for my lungs in a way id say most medicines are worst in other ways. altough it depends on everyone! my asthma has never been bothered my smoke, dust is my problem
What you people are forgetting is that not only is marijuana illegal but it's actually against the law. Marijuana wrecks lives! Last year in the US over 16 million people where critically injured as a result of smoking weed and that was only 12% more than the Mexican government predicted.
Ralph,
Thanks for your comment. I enjoy discussing my ideas with those who disagree with me. In response to your comment:
First, marijuana is not against the laws of my home state, as long as it is used as recommended by a doctor for a medical purpose. It is still agains federal law, but let's think about that law--does it make sense? Is it a just law? Many things have been prohibited by law throughout the years: miscegenation, theft, voting by women, prostitution, sodomy...some laws are reasonable and others are patently unjust. "It's against the law," is just not a good enough reason to say something shouldn't be done.
Marijuana is illegal under federal law by virtue of being in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs are said to have no medical value, to be unsafe, and to be likely substances of abuse. Cannabis can certainly be abused, but it has been proven time and again to be safe and effective as a medicine. It certainly does not belong in the same legal category as other Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, PCP, and crack cocaine. Think about the logic of saying that pot is more harmful than morphine. It just doesn't make sense.
As for your assertion that marijuana wrecks lives, I think nearly any activity can wreck lives if done improperly. Some ruin their lives by eating or having sex in a compulsive fashion. We don't usually say that food or sex ruins lives, because the danger comes from an individual person's decisions regarding said substance or activity. Marijuana has very little ability to cause physical dependency, but can be misused like anything else.
The potential for misuse doesn't automatically justify prohibiting a drug. You have to compare all of the substance's costs and benefits before you can justifiably prohibit the medical use of a substance. That's just conventional wisdom in the medical field.
"not only is marijuana illegal but it's actually against the law"
hahahahahahahahahahaahhaahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi:
lol Not only does it cause brain damage but can actually hurt your brain.
I don't have asthma, but your article is informative. I do wish Cannabis would be medically available everywhere for those who so desperately need it. Thanks for sharing info.
Thanks, Frog. I agree.
uh,,, it sounds so informative,i suffer so much from my asthma. i wish i could try that cannabis,but,
don't you think it is awkward? marijuana was illegal in our place...and another thing it was not recommended by my doc..
but i still want to try..
Jona,
That's too bad.
Maybe you haven't found the right doc yet...?
I've had mostly "dormant" asthma since I started smoking pot at the age of 15, prior to that I couldn't go without my Ventalin inhaler. I'm now 34 yrs old and decided that I would try to put it aside, I've had a tight chest often since, for no apparent reason. A cool breeze could set it off, I'm relatively fit, training at Kung Fu twice a week and running a 6km stretch on other days, since I've stopped smoking I've had to dig through the medicine chest for the inhaler that I hardly ever used. I've always told doctors at medicals that I had childhood asthma and kept an inhaler for emergancies only, like if I had to get the flu or bronchitus. In the past few weeks I can't tell how many times I've had to use that inhaler, the last time was a few minutes ago while lying in bed reading, which prompted me to go online. I've decided to have a smoke and monitor it closely. I'll keep you posted
Thanks, Brett. I'll be interested to hear how it goes.
Be careful and stay well.
great hub
OMG! IV BEEN READING SOME OF THESES COMMENTS ON HERE, AND I THINK SOME OF THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE MORE EDUCATED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. I SEE AND DEAL WITH CANCER PATIENTS EVERYDAY. I SEE THAT BY THEM SMOKING MARIJUANA, HOW IT DOES HELP THEM FROM DAY TO DAY. AND AS FOR ASTHMA PATIENTS, IT ASLO HELPS THEM TOO.
AND BY THE WAY... HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE HIGH ON POT GET INTO ACCIDENTS AND KILL THE INNOCENT? NOT TOO MANY OF THEM. ALCOHOL IS THE ONE MAIN KILLER IN THAT CASE.
Medical Cannabis is amazing.
I use it for my asthma all the time.
I try not to smoke because anything smoked is bad for you to a point even if cannabis has been shown to have cancer CURING atributes.
But I actualy enjoy vaporizing and eating my medical cannabis same effects with NO adverse effects.
The only bad thing about Medical Cannabis is that some people smoke it if everyone vaporized/ate cannabis then there would be virtualy 0 risks with Cannabis :].
Imposible to overdose
Imposible to die on period.
That's funny! My asthma went down and I really just realized why! :-)
GTR,
Good point about vaporizing being enjoyable. Many people overlook the fact that vaporizing almost always produces an AMAZING flavor experience. Sometimes it reminds me of taking a walk in the woods after a snowfall.
Pardon me for waxing a little poetic ;)
Cannabis is quite a useful herb for many conditions, including asthma. I don't think smoking too much of it would be a problem, but you need to smoke at the right times. Also, taking a cannabis extract would probably be able to fully cure the asthma, not just alleviate it.
I have learnt a alot from your article. Thanks for sharing.
Kaabi,
Edibles are great. I've used an olive oil extract many times, and it really worked for my medical needs. And, of course, no smoking means less coughing!
Pluto,
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for stopping by!
i my self sufferd with asthma from a early age and i also started smoking cigarettes from an early age 14 i admitt that smoking is a very bad idea for any one especialy the young.not long after i sstarted smoking cannabis resin withch did not help my asthma at all,i did get chest ifections around 4 in inbetween the 2 years. wen i was around 16 i also tho i also started smoking herbal cannabis witch actually carmed my asthma down without noticeing, now i only high grade skunk and have only eva a 1 repritory problem and that was due to cathing flu, ( after having the jab )and that ws around 2 to 3 years ago i have not had the jab since, including swine flu. i am a NHS worker and see patients with viruses every day, but my answer to that was washing hands properly very reurly, i am not medical staff in any way and do not deal with patients. im now 21 and still smoking skunk more or less daily, ther are other side afecs like depression and social problems witch i do have and i also have recently noticed that i slure my speech some times bt i cannot confirme this depression may have been caused by general life but am not sure about the speech.
Nicky,
Thank you for the comment. Different people do respond to cannabis differently, so it's important to pay attention along the way and periodically review any side effects you experience.
Have to agree with you here. It seems to relax the restricted brochial tubes or something. If they could take natural THC and compound it into an inhaler then it would be very beneficial. What they have now is Marinol, comes in pill form and is synthetic. My mom took it while she was undergoing cancer treatment and she liked it. I wouldn't want to take the synthetic form, though.
donotfear,
In Canada there's prescription Sativex, which is blended, standardized extract made into a throat spray. I think it's very expensive though, and not yet legal to prescribe in the United States. It sounds like just what you're talking about.
It used to be a way of life in India and it was touted to be good for so many ailments. Maybe it kept people peaceful too :) I do wish they would legalise it all over the world - I'm sure there would be a lot fewer addicts as soon as that heppened!
I agree with everyone here that has commented on the benefits of medicinal marijuana! As of this moment there are 13 states that have legalized it's use....I wish it was all of them, including mine. Just a few days ago the news had a piece stating that Obama has ordered the FDA & FBI to lay off continously 'busting' and seizing the medical marijuana establishments from 'selling' it. Seems to be a 'loophole' that they've abused. It's legal to use medicinal marijuana, but not legal to sell it!
Thanks for bringing up the new memo from Obama via the Attorney General. I've read it, and it's hard for me to tell exactly what effect it will have.
Essentially, it seems to say that medical marijuana patients are too low a priority to use federal prosecutor resources to arrest. It looks to me like the memo itself is still full of loopholes the DEA can take advantage of.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone has another take on it. Here is a link to the memo: http://blogs.usdoj.gov/blog/archives/192
I also believe mullein tea can help with lung problems like asthma. It clears the congestion. Canabis can be used for many things. It's not a cure-all but can be part of a natural treatment. Interesting hub.
dsletten says:
16 months ago
Interesting hub. I would be wary of smoking anything if you have asthma, most anything will set off an attack, especially if you aren't taking medicine for your asthma. I have asthma - a result of living with smokers throughout my childhood. There are many safe medications that can control your asthma to the point you almost never need a rescue inhaler. I've tried herbal remedies in the past and they just aren't strong enough to control it. If you have mild asthma, maybe herbal would work, I would advise, however, not to smoke it.