There may be some relief from COVID-19, even before a vaccine might hit the market.

According to researchers at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, THC might prevent death from COVID-19.

THC is being tested to see if it will prevent cytokine storms and ARDS. Cytokine storms happen when the immune system goes overboard in its attempt to fight off an infection and ARDS or acute respiratory distress syndrome causing difficulty breathing.

From FORBES.com:

Several studies point to CBD as a potential treatment for ARDS, and the FDA recently greenlighted clinical trials for a synthetic cannabinoid treatment for ARDS.

In the new research, scientists explored whether THC might be able to treat cytokine storms and ARDS, by studying its effects on mice.

In this animal model, researchers exposed two groups of healthy mice to a bacterial infection called Staphylococcus aureus or SEB. SEB is known to cause cytokine storms and ARDS in mice, and it almost always leads to death for those exposed. In this case, however, the researchers gave one group of mice a treatment of THC right after they infected them with SEB, along with doses 24 and and 48 hours afterward.

Amazingly, 100% of the mice who were given THC before being infected survived having SEB. Meanwhile, 100% of the mice who weren’t given THC died from the ARDS that resulted from their infection.

Did you catch that? NONE OF THE MICE GIVEN THC DIED!

Human research needs to be conducted and especially those with COVID-19 symptoms but the research looks promising and THC could prevent the escalation of COVID-19 becoming deadly.

Volunteers for research will be plentiful I’m sure. And since we are in Illinois, which offers both medical and recreational marijuana,  many will experiment on themselves “just in case”.

Susan Saunders 9/23/20