Cannabis Use Linked To Improved COVID-19 Outcomes, New Study Suggests

Recent research from Northwell Health, published in late August in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, indicates that marijuana users may face better outcomes when battling COVID-19, including lower rates of severe infections and reduced likelihood of intubation or death. This promising development points to the potential immunomodulatory effects of cannabis, which could lessen dangerous inflammation during infection.

Cannabis Users Show Lower COVID-19 Mortality

The study analyzed data from the National Inpatient Sample Database, comparing hospital admissions for COVID-19 among cannabis users and non-users. Adjusting for various factors like age, gender, and comorbidities, the findings, as reported by Forbes, revealed a significant reduction in mortality and severe complications such as lung failure among cannabis users. Specifically, the mortality rate among non-users was 5.1%, nearly double the 2.8% observed in cannabis users. Additionally, cannabis users tended to have shorter hospital stays, averaging 6.4 days compared to 7.0 days for non-users.

• Get Benzinga’s exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter here. If you’re serious about the business, you can’t afford to miss out.

Cautions Noted Despite Positive Findings

However, despite these encouraging results, experts urge caution. Dr. Benjamin Caplan, a cannabis expert and author consulted by Forbes, highlighted potential limitations in the study, such as challenges in adequately matching study subjects and absence of crucial data, including patient inflammation levels and the specific cannabis products used.

Read Also: CBD Increases Effect Of THC, New Study Finds – Quite The Opposite Of Popular Belief

Mixed Research Findings On Cannabis And COVID-19

The study's preliminary results as well as previous research also support the potential association between cannabis and reduced COVID-19 severity. For instance, a 2022 study by researchers from Oregon State University showed that certain cannabinoid acids in cannabis could prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering human cells in vitro by binding to its spike protein, suggesting a possible preventive role against the virus.

Earlier research cited in the Forbes article presents a mixed view: Canadian studies suggest cannabinoids might reduce COVID-19 severity by hindering viral entry and easing oxidative stress. Conversely, a University of Washington study linked marijuana use with increased severe COVID-19 risks, underscoring that no evidence supports smoking cannabis as a preventive or curative measure for the virus.

As cannabis research progresses, more studies are vital to fully understand its potential health benefits and risks, particularly given the long history of prohibition that has stifled scientific exploration in this emerging field. 

Read Next:

• Mounting Research Supports Cannabis As Health Care Tool: Plant Compounds Relieve Endometriosis Pain And Reduce Fatigue, Studies Find

Photo: Benzinga edit with sources from Fusion Medical Animation and Girl with red hat on Unsplash.