When the icky and exhausting effects of a common cold or the flu enter your orbit, it can be tempting to give almost any kind of treatment a try. Flooding your nasal passages with saline might be great at clearing out congestion, but it almost certainly won’t be as relaxing or enjoyable as kicking back with some cannabis.

Can Cannabis Remedy the Common Cold?

So, the question is–can cannabis be an effective treatment for colds or the flu? And, will it do any harm to your body or your illness to imbibe cannabis while under the weather? We’ll explore the answers to these questions, and more, right here.

Safety First

We all know all too well that by the time you have a cold, it’s usually too late to do anything about it. So, many of us might turn to cannabis in the hope of not only feeling better mentally but, potentially, also physically. But before we toke up or enjoy that tasty edible, we should first determine if cannabis while dealing with the flu or a common cold is safe. While there is currently no evidence that smoking cannabis while suffering from a cold, flu, or cough is not safe, it might behoove us to give the logistics of smoking cannabis with these conditions some thought. For example, if your throat is feeling raw, or your lungs have been spending a lot of time coughing, smoking cannabis probably won’t feel great, and could even make your painful symptoms feel worse.

One other factor to consider is that when we are sick, sometimes our bodies react differently to things. While cannabis might make your healthy body and respiratory system feel great, with an illness in your system, you might actually feel symptoms that are intensified in a bad way. Think—worsened fatigue, headaches, or fluctuations in temperature. All this being said, regular cannabis users probably won’t find that consuming cannabis while suffering from the flu or common cold will have too much of an impact, negatively or positively. But, it’s probably not a great time to test out a new strain or dosage. And, while suffering from any illness, it is definitely not the right time to be sharing joints or bongs with friends–keep that contagion contained!

Symptom Relief, Please

Now that we’ve established some parameters around safety, let’s get to the big question here: can cannabis actually make you feel better if you are dealing with a common cold or the flu? While, again, there is limited research available on this subject, there may actually be some benefits to enjoying cannabis while sick. But, and this is a big but, it’s not clear if those potential benefits might outweigh the potentially negative effects that might develop. What might cannabis be able to help with? Well, many of us are probably familiar with the fact that cannabis can have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. And, I’m sure we can all attest to the fact that colds and flu definitely cause some inflammation, like in the throat, nasal passages, and via fever. Cannabis is also known for its ability to treat pain, and most likely we’ve all felt pain from colds and flu. And what about sleep? Rest is usually the number one doctor prescribed method for getting well after an illness, and cannabis can certainly help get users to sleep. While cannabis can help those of us suffering from an illness to get lulled into dreamland, the reality is that illnesses also impact our sleep cycles, which may counteract or cancel out any potential sleepy benefits from cannabis.

The Common Cold + Medicine + Cannabis = Relief?

So, let’s say that you’ve decided to imbibe some cannabis during your ailment. Will it interact with any cold or flu medication that you’re taking? Most likely, yes. Mixing over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications with cannabis can exacerbate any sedating effects of either substance, making it much harder to focus, make decisions, or even just stay awake! Not to mention that some OTC cold and flu medications come with their own set of unpleasant side effects, like blurred vision, dry mouth, changes in heart rate, and balance loss, which most of us certainly would not want to be intensified.

Therefore, it’s typically advised that cannabis users avoid mixing OTC cold or flu medications with cannabis, instead of waiting until the effects of one have passed before starting another. Please be sure to consult with a medical professional if you have any specific questions about your health or medications. It’s advised that you let your doctor know any and all medications or other substances that you take on a regular basis, including, of course, cannabis. And, if you happen to be shopping for cannabis while dealing with a common cold or flu, or while healthy, be sure to check out the incredible selection of cannabis seeds at Grower’s Choice Seeds.