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Big God

Today my main toking buddy has an apparent sinus infection and he has come to the conclusion that all the weed we have consumed in the past has started to affect his immune system...

Now, has anyone ever heard of this? anyone have any facts I can use here? Could it be possible or is he just a dumbass?

and yes I know moldy weed and the sort can affect your sinuses but that isnt the issue...

 

HappyMan

When you pass a pipe or joint you also pass germs.....your friend probaly picked it up from somone else. When I was in college the flue ripped through the smoking community...yuck.

Bailey1138

Same thing happened with my friends, we had a cold we passed around for like 3 months. Soon as someone would start to get better, someone else would get sick.

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deadhed

I believe that, while still psychoactive, marijuana does have an immunosuppressant effect, but this goes away once the THC is metabolized. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Harleyman

I'm not a DR., but I have read some posts and articles the past couple weeks about people using marijuana to help ease the suffering associated with AIDS with excellent results.
It increased their appetites, helped with nausea, helped decrease lethargy and a couple other things and in turn it upped their cell count in their blood. Sorry I can't remember what it's called, but in AIDS patients this goes up and down and when they go down it's very bad for them.
AIDS is an immune deficiency and some of the articles I have read it was DR's. offering the praise of it so I would think that it wouldn't.
As far as a passing around a cold or the flu that is true as with any germ, but when you have a respiratory infection, smoking anything will hinder your recovery due to it helping to keep the mucous accumalating in your lungs.

 

Greenman

There are alot of other factors that go into the strength of an immune system at any given point, including diet, sleep, stress level, activity level etc etc. While marijuana I am sure is not good for your immune system, I believe that any effects that it does have are dwarfed by those other factors that I mentioned, and certianly marijuana does help with a persons stress level, as well as their emotional outlook on life, which can be a huge booster to the immune system.

I think this is one of those questions where there is not a simple yes or no answer. It depends entirely on the person and their individual habits. Marijuana, or the inhalation of smoke, is not good for the body by any means. But there are some benifits to smoking pot that can help to counterbalance these heath side effects.

For example, what if THC or the other cannibinoids were not the compounds responsible for any immune system weakening, but rather the other compounds that are formed by the burning smoke? If that were the case, then the potency of weed will be a large variable, smoking much more potent weed means you burn less plant matter to get the same effect. There would be less of these harmful compounds entering your body, and therefore much less damage is done than smoking schwag. Even though you get just as high both times.

From my own personal experience? I haven't been to the doctor's office for an illness but once since I began smoking pot. Prior to that point, I was sick with strep throat EVERY year around September. I am not going to say that pot boosted my immune system to the point where I just don't get sick, but rather that pot really dampens the "sick" feeling where I don't really notice that I am sick unless I get REALLY sick. Since I don't use antibiotics, my body must defend itself against infections. In short, my immune system gets a lot of practice, and I believe it is strong for that reason.

I think treating every single sickness with antibiotics does more "damage" to the immune system than any amount of pot will do, because the immune system never has to contend with a full blown illness. What would happen if you got sick with a strain of virus that is immune to antibiotics? The only defense you have is your immune system, which has been weakened by a lack of practice....

Don't get me wrong, doctors have their place. And America has the best acute medical system in the world. But just because we have it, doesn't mean we must use it. If your really sick, then go to the doc. There are illnesses out there that must be treated medically or you can die or be seriously crippled. But going to get some pennicillin every time you have the sniffles is stupid, and only makes the problem worse. Nature works with viruses as well, And over perscribing antibiotics has created several strains of super-viruses that can kill a man and are immune to all but maybe one or two antibiotics. Survival of the Fittest. We kill off all the weaker ones, leaving only the strong resistant ones to breed an make more strong resistant viruses. Doctors are like everything else, use but don't abuse.

Just my thoughts.

Peace.

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Harleyman

Sounds like a winner to me. You make a lot of since and some excellent points.