Patient Education ► Patient Education ~
Cannabis, A Treatment for Asthma?
Before the early 20th-century cannabis prohibition, many doctors recommended cannabis products for a variety of ailments, including respiratory conditions.
by Peter Kershaw, contributing writer
Asthma is a condition in which the airways swell and narrow. This often results in the production of excess mucus. It makes breathing difficult( shortness of breath) and can be painful. Asthma often triggers coughing and can be accompanied by a whistling sound, i. e., wheezing when you breathe out.
Asthma symptoms often include:
● Shortness of breath
● Chest tightness or pain
● Wheezing when exhaling is a common sign of asthma in children
● Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing
● Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or the flu
Asthma symptoms vary from patient to patient in severity, from just an infrequent minor inconvenience to a significant handicap that makes daily living a challenge. In the most severe cases, an asthma attack can be life-threatening. In 2024, 3,722 Americans died from asthma attacks( more than 10 per day). 1 Asthma attacks account for a large number of hospital Emergency Room visits, some 1.4 million in 2022 alone. According to the CDC, as of 2022, 8.2 % of Americans have been diagnosed with asthma, 2 adults( 18 and older) accounting for 22,270,356, and children( under 18) accounting for 4,529,232.
Asthma can affect people of any age, with children and the elderly being most vulnerable. The good news for children is that many children do outgrow asthma. Asthma is often triggered by emotional distress, strenuous exercise, molds, dust, dust mites, smoke, air pollution, industrial chemicals, food additives, and various allergens. 3 Often overlooked are the large numbers of asthma attacks triggered by household pets. 4
There is no known cure for asthma, but it can, in many cases, be managed. Most commonly, that’ s done with prescription medications such as bronchodilator inhalers and corticosteroids. Drugs such as Albuterol may provide rapid relief and, in some cases, even prevent an Emergency Room visit. Unfortunately, patients often stop treating it as the“ rescue medication” it’ s classified as and start abusing it. Reliance on such drugs comes at considerable risk, including worsening asthma symptoms over time and even increased morbidity. 5 Thankfully, there are safer methods of treating asthma that may prove as effective or more effective than pharmaceuticals.
Cannabis as a Scientifically Proven Treatment for Asthma
Before the early 20th-century cannabis prohibition, many doctors recommended cannabis products for a variety of ailments, including respiratory conditions such as bronchitis and asthma. And yes, that included smoked cannabis. 6 They perceived then what has since been clinically substantiated in our own time— cannabis is a bronchodilator. 7 THC( but even more so CBD) reduces the inflammation that so often accompanies asthma. 8 Animal and human studies are proving that cannabis holds great promise for asthma sufferers. 9 While it may seem counterintuitive that inhaling smoke of any kind could be therapeutic, smoking cannabis should not be confused with smoking cigarettes. The two are not alike. If an asthmatic can comfortably tolerate cannabis smoke, they are likely to receive several immediate and potentially life-saving benefits, including upper airway expansion, relaxation, and inflammatory relief.
For those not comfortable with smoking, there is vaping. Vaping is facilitated at much lower temperatures than smoking and doesn’ t include the particulates of smoking, thereby reducing potential lung irritants. Vaping is also discreet and doesn’ t leave behind that telltale weed smell.
One need not even smoke or vape, however, to get similar benefits. Edibles and sublingual tinctures can also be effective. What they won’ t provide is the immediate relief asthmatics require in a crisis situation. What edibles do well is provide long-term relief and potentially even act as a preventative, where one might be anticipating a trigger event. Many asthmatics have found it especially effective to combine vaping with edibles.
Can Cannabis Be An Allergen for Asthmatics?
Asthmatics need to be careful about avoiding allergens. Though uncommon, if not rare, it is possible to develop an allergy to cannabis. What isn’ t nearly as rare, though, is a toxic reaction with symptoms similar to an allergic one. In other words, what appears
18 May 2026