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What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of diseases of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed. This leads to a limitation of the flow of air to and from the lungs causing shortness of breath. In contrast to asthma, the limitation of airflow is poorly reversible and usually gets progressively worse over time.

COPD is caused by noxious particles or gases, most commonly from smoking, which trigger an abnormal inflammatory response in the lung. The inflammatory response in the larger airways is known as chronic bronchitis, which is diagnosed clinically when people regularly cough up sputum. In the alveoli, the inflammatory response causes destruction of the tissues of the lung, a process known as emphysema. The natural course of COPD is characterized by occasional sudden worsenings of symptoms called acute exacerbations, most of which are caused by infections or air pollution.

The diagnosis of COPD requires lung function tests. Important management strategies are smoking cessation, vaccinations, rehabilitation, and drug therapy (often using inhalers). Some patients go on to requiring long-term oxygen therapy or lung transplantation.

Worldwide, COPD ranked sixth as the cause of death in 1990. It is projected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020 due to an increase in smoking rates and demographic changes in many countries. COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S., and the economic burden of COPD in the U.S. in 2007 was $42.6 billion in health care costs and lost productivity.

(Wikipedia)

Marijuana Facts and Resources:

• THC effective in appetite and weight loss in severe lung disease (COPD)
  “Mean treatment duration was 16 days resulting in a considerable improvement of appetite, general well-being and functional performance (36 per cent mean increase in walking distance) and an average gain in body weight of 1.5 kg, which is much regarding the short treatment period. Side effects were mild.”
• Heavy Long-Term Marijuana Use Does Not Impair Lung Function
  “Habitual marijuana smokers do not experience a greater annual rate of decline in lung function than nonsmokers, according to the latest findings by researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine.”
• Researchers to test if cannabis ingredient can help COPD patients
  “The researchers believe the cannabinoids could be used to reduce the sensation of breathlessness without depressing the respiratory system.”
• Heavy Habitual Marijuana Smoking Does Not Cause an Accelerated Decline in FEV with Age (PDF Warning)