Strains & products

Now You Can Fight the Flu — With Cannabis!

Published on February 21, 2019 · Last updated July 28, 2020
Honey, Meet Pot: Tea up some sick time with an infused hot drink. (Courtesy of Jennifer Skog)
Honey, Meet Pot: Tea up some sick time with an infused hot drink. (Courtesy of Jennifer Skog)

Flu season is peaking. When you’re home sick, feeling miserable and confined to the couch, it’s helpful to have cannabis on hand. Beyond improving your mood and helping you sleep, medicinal cannabis products can also relieve inflammation and pain while balancing immunity.

Thanks to legalization Proposition 64, any adult 21 or older with ID in California can probably get cannabis delivered to them from more than 600 licensed stores and over 100 delivery services.

They all stock lab-tested, dosed, non-smoked products like mouth drops, that won’t irritate your throat or increase coughing and congestion. You can now choose from edibles, drinks, and tinctures that fit into your self-care regimen. If you’re feeling under the weather, hit the bed, get rest, and drink plenty of fluids. That said, it often seems to help to add some cannabis-infused honey to your tea. At the least, maintaining a low-level buzz while you’re otherwise incapacitated will make that Netflix binge more interesting, that’s for sure.

Atlas Edibles’ Drink Mix

Emerald Cup-winning and oh so chic. (Courtesy of Atlas Edibles)

Emerald Cup-winning and oh so chic. Keep away from grandma. … Unless she insists. (Courtesy of Atlas Edibles)

Simply add this rosin-infused herbal drink mix to a cup with hot water for a calming buzz. It’s a mellow mix of cannabis main active ingredients, combining 10 mg of anti-inflammatory CBD and 5 mg of pain-decreasing THC, plus with other healing plants. Atlas created three flavorful drink mixes: Pomegranate Green Tea, Raspberry & Hibiscus, and Lemongrass & Ginger. When you’re not feeling well, add these to your daily rotation of teas. Hibiscus is packed with vitamin C, lemongrass helps relieve fever and colds, and ginger even kills rhinoviruses, soothes sore throats and acts as an antihistamine.

Many cannabinoids and terpenes have antibiotic effects. As for viruses, cannabinoids and terpenes alter immune response to viruses, either increasing or decreasing viral replication, depending on the study and virus.

Places to Find It:

Jade Nectar Tinctures

Lots of people love cannabis’ relief but hate what they feel is the side effects of being “high”. With a wide variety of no-high formulas, Jade Nectar has created cannabis tinctures that harness the power of raw “acid” form cannabis’ active ingredients. Instead of THC, it’s THCA. Instead of CBD, it’s CBDA. Try these if you’re looking for relief from pain, nausea, insomnia or lack of appetite without any accompanying euphoria. Look for raw CBDA and THCA tinctures blended in specific ratios, and drizzle these olive oil-based tinctures over a bowl of soup, or just drop under your tongue for relief from aches and pains.

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Places to Find It:

OM Edibles Daytime Tincture

(Courtesy of OM Elixirs)

This multi-herb tincture is blended with ginger and echinacea, making for a potent elixir that’s great for preventing colds as well as lessening their severity. Echinacea boosts your immune system, so it’s an excellent compliment to ginger’s virus-fighting capabilities. With 150 mg of THC per bottle, this will make you feel euphoric depending on how much you consume. Made with MCT coconut oil, this can be consumed under your tongue or added to tea.

Places to Find it:

  • Exhalence in Sun Valley, Los Angeles (pre-order with Leafly PICKUP)
  • Caliva in San Jose
  • HPRC in Arcata (pre-order with Leafly PICKUP)
  • Herb Delivery Service

HoneyPot THC-Infused Honey

Me Time: Flu carriers are infectious to a three to six-foot radius. Self-quarantine with Honey Pot, ok? (Courtesy of Jennifer Skog)

Me Time: Flu carriers can infect anyone in a three to six-foot radius. Self-quarantine with Honey Pot, ok? (Courtesy of Jennifer Skog)

When you’re not feeling well, nursing a cup of hot tea with lemon juice and honey is the most basic method to get yourself back on the road to wellness. Using cannabis-infused honey is a welcome way to chase the blues away, allowing you to relax on the couch and get much-needed rest. Measure out 2.5 teaspoons of cannabis-infused HoneyPot to add 10 milligrams of THC to your tea, making sure to stir until completely dissolved.

Places to Find It:

Breez Cinnamon CBD Spray

With an equally balanced ratio of CBD to THC, this sprayable cannabis tincture contains cinnamon, also known for its antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nausea properties. Spray this tincture under your tongue, or mix it with honey and add to tea. Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for added benefits!

Places to Find it:

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Elise McDonough
Elise McDonough
Elise McDonough is a cannabis edibles expert and author of the Bong Appétit cookbook and The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook, and Leafly's Product Specialist for Northern California. A veteran of the cannabis industry since 2002, McDonough has sampled over 500 edibles as a judge for the Cannabis Cup.
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