New resources on COVID-19 and cannabis

CCSA has developed a new resource, COVID-19 and Cannabis Smoking and Vaping: Four Things You Should Know. This resource covers various topics, including the impact of smoking and vaping on COVID-19 symptoms, the risk for pulmonary illness and infection, and guidance for reducing harms.

Key facts include:

• Cannabis smoke contains chemicals (toxins, carcinogens and irritants) that are known to negatively affect lung health.
• Smoking cannabis regularly can cause coughing, wheezing and tightness in the chest. Long-term cannabis smoking can also cause chronic bronchitis.
• Smoking cannabis may suppress the immune system, which can make you more prone to infection.
• Vaping unregulated cannabis has been linked with severe lung illnesses.
• Smoking or vaping cannabis will not prevent, alleviate or treat COVID-19 symptoms and can worsen the respiratory symptoms of the disease.

In addition, CCSA has developed two public education resources to help Canadians understand the health risks associated with smoking cannabis, how it can worsen symptoms of COVID-19 and what they can do to reduce their risk: COVID-19 and Cannabis: How to Reduce Your Risk and COVID-19 and Cannabis: Four Things You Should Know.

Feel free to share these resources with your networks. You can download these publications and find a comprehensive list of resources on substance use and COVID-19 in the CCSA's new online resource centre.

If you have any questions about CCSA’s cannabis resources or want to know more about our work on cannabis, please email cannabis@ccsa.ca.