Is It Safe to Smoke Pot if You Have Mono?
Mononucleosis, known as mono or the “kissing disease.” As public opinion about cannabis increasingly turns, many people are wondering whether smoking weed while suffering from mono adds health risks.
What Mono Does to Your Body
Mono primarily attacks the lymphatic system, creating extreme fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, symptoms of fever, and a sore throat. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which causes about 90% of all mono cases, but a few other viruses can cause similar symptoms, so diagnosis is always required by a healthcare provider. Full recovery generally occurs between 2-4 weeks, however, fatigue and malaise can hang on for up to 6 months.
It also has a significant effect on immune function, meaning patients are susceptible to a further infection of secondary sources.
Health Risks of Smoking Cannabis with Mono
Inhaling anything that is burned is going to irritate respiratory tissues and an active viral infection – which is what mono starts with – puts the respiratory tissues at risk. Mono can also create inflamed throats and swollen tonsils, both suggesting that smoking, if possible, is more uncomfortable and potentially harmful.
Considerations with the Immune System
Cannabis and mono can create a confusing mix within the immune system. There is evidence that cannabis may have anti-inflammatory effects, but the way smoke delivers the compounds of cannabis exposes the body to other irritating components that do potentially depress the immune system.
The main psychoactive component of cannabis, THC, directly influences the body’s white blood cells and can reduce the effectiveness of the immune system for doses until the THC metabolizes and exits the system. When a person has mono, the immune system needs to use the resources available to fight against the viral infection.
Some strains of cannabis that have sedative effects may be beneficial for someone with mono, in which the fatigue can be overwhelming, as this can mask signals that need to be recognized for recovery. Rest is essential during mono recovery, and the sleeping patterns induced by THC or other cannabinoids in some cannabis (if smoked) could inhibit the healing process by not allowing enough restorative (deep) sleep while fighting the infection.
Safer Options for Treatment
There are many patients that want to utilize cannabis during recovery from the mono viral infection. However, if you are looking to use cannabis, it is important to utilize other options to smoking. Edibles do not involve respiratory irritation entirely, although they can take longer to absorb into the system, and the effect will last longer requiring careful monitoring and dosing.
Tinctures or sublingual products would also provide a middle ground with faster acting effects like edibles but without the inhalation route. However, dosing with tinctures and sublingual products will be easier to manipulate if illness symptoms are requiring some messages due to auto-regulation.
If inhalation is the preferred route, using a vaporizer is also a harm-reduction option. Vaporizing does not completely eliminate the harmful byproducts, for example when combusting cannabis, but vaporizers do heat cannabis to lower temperatures so that it may also provide some cannabinoids needed for the user. However, vaporizing cannabis itself may still produce throat irritation; especially during the acute days of mono symptoms.
For the moment, while cannabis may be considered a more natural tool for symptom management, the associated risks would outweigh the potential benefits during the time of active infection. Best to focus attention on medically proven recovery methods: sleep, stay hydrated, and listen to your medical professional on how to safely navigate your recovery.