Yesterday I had several people contacting me asking if I’d seen the groundbreaking study saying certain cannabinoids block infection from Covid-19.
Of course the cannabis community is rejoicing, we already know the healing benefits of the cannabis plant. However this is just more proof that cannabis is in fact a helpful plant, and not the demon the drug wars have made it out to be.
However we must also look at what the study results mean. It means that smoking cannabis or taking your daily edibles isn’t going to prevent contracting covid. The cannabinoids they’re referring to are the acids found in raw cannabis.
Understanding CBDA and CBGA
The cannabinoids CBGA and CBDA are acids found in raw cannabis. Cannabinoids start as acids and then upon heating (a process called decarboxylation or decarbing), they turn into their neutral state- so CBDA once heated becomes CBD. Raw cannabis is non-psychoactive and safe for even children to consume.
There’s over 100 cannabinoids found in the plant, the two most abundant found are THC and CBD. CBG is the precursor to all cannabinoids, CBG is non-intoxicating and helps to regulate appetite, sleep and reduce pain. You can buy CBG products in Canada (not yet in B.C).
In the United States they legalized hemp, so they have several hemp farmers growing hemp and selling the extracts. Hemp is cannabis grown to have less that .03% THC. Hemp is high in CBD so many growers will sell CBDA extracts however this isn’t available in Canada so far.
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Why you can’t find CBDA and CBGA in Canada
The Canadian government regulates hemp under the cannabis act, it’s why you can only buy CBD from cannabis stores, behind lock and key. It’s why you get warning labels on your CBD bath bomb. It’s why we don’t have artisanal hemp or the extracts CBDA or CBGA.
Some US companies will ship their products to Canada but it’s not legal to do that so it might be hard to find.
While we may not get these extracts yet, I have a feeling after this huge study, we’ll likely be seeing more of these extracts on the market in the future.
Raw cannabis and its health benefits
A couple of years ago I started growing cannabis plants outside. I wasn’t able to grow cannabis that I could use in my vaporizer or in edibles but I was able to eat the leaves of the plant.
Eating raw leaves in a smoothie for example can give you a small amount of those cannabinoids however you’d have to know the strain you’re eating from is high in CBD and CBG. CBG is usually found in less than 1% in most strains however there are some strains that are higher in CBG.
Eating Raw cannabis is packed with nutrients and is something I highly recommend, if you’re able to grow your own cannabis plants. Subscribe to Weed Mama (at the end of this article) as in the future I’ll be posting recipes with raw cannabis.
“Raw cannabis leaves and flowers could be considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. The raw plant material contains essential fatty acids, nine essential amino acids, dietary fiber, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenes, and phytocannabinoid acids, all of which have the potential to benefit health.”
www.crxmag.com
The Future of Cannabis is bright
This study may not mean all of us cannabis consumers are suddenly immune from Covid-19 however it does give us more insight into the benefits of the properties of this plant. I look forward to more studies on what this wonder plant can do, as science reveals more about the plant and how it can benefit our health.
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What plants are best for raw eating
Any cannabis plant you grow yourself you can eat raw however if you can find high CBD plants, that would be ideal. Cannabis stores sell seeds now, and April is the month to start seedlings for outdoor plants so if you want to grow a plant at home, check out the seed selection at cannabis stores.