After a surprisingly rainy and cold winter season (by So Cal standards) we’re finally embracing the sunshine and warmth again, so there’s plenty of reasons to get out and enjoy every minute of the daylight. However, this time of the year tends to bring one misfortune to many people along with the seasonal transition: allergies. For some of us lucky people, we aren’t affected, but it can certainly be a nightmare for other people. If you find yourself incapacitated by the flurry of pollen, this is for you. You deserve to enjoy the great Spring air without any side effects just as much as the rest of us.
This should not come as a surprise to any of our readers, but THC and CBD both have specific properties that can target allergic reactions and quickly alleviate your symptoms. This makes cannabis-derived products an excellent choice for fighting allergies, and I recommend applying both when applicable.
Research by The Journal of Allergy and Immunology shows that CBD has been proven to reduce airway inflammation and relax muscles, so it’s perfect for any instance where your throat feels tight and you have trouble breathing. It also works well topically for skin reactions.
Other older studies in Germany have proven THC dampens immune responses to allergens. It won’t weaken your immune system, it will simply reduce the noticeable reactions that tend to be extremely uncomfortable.
If you want to avoid the THC effects then it’s still a great idea to opt for CBD itself in the following recipe. One of the perks of making these is you can just let it dissolve in your mouth if your throat/sinuses are too irritated to smoke at the moment, or you can dissolve it in tea and sip it (or make iced tea after it dissolves).
(Remember that this is not intended to replace medical advice and you should definitely contact a physician for any serious allergic reactions that may be life-threatening.)
DIY Cannabis Cough Drops
* • 1/2 cup water
* • 1 cup evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar (optional)
* • 1 peppermint teabag
* • 1 chamomile teabag
* • 4 tablespoons THC-infused honey
* • 2 tablespoons CBD oil
* • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* • 1 teaspoon bee propolis extract (optional)
* • powdered sugar or cornstarch, for coating (optional)
* • Wax paper or parchment paper (or Soy Deli Paper as a more Earth-friendly alternative)
* • Baking tray or large food-quality wooden board
1. 1. Steep peppermint and chamomile in boiling water for 10 minutes or more.
2. 2. Remove tea bags and transfer the tea to a saucepan.
3. 3. Add the THC honey
4. 4. Reduce the heat and keep it simmering, but keep it at a low heat setting to prevent burning.
5. 5. Let it cool and the consistency should be syrup-y.
6. 6. Once it’s cool but still sort of liquid, add the CBD oil, ground ginger, lemon juice, and bee propolis extract if you have it. Mix thoroughly.
7. 7. Now, set your parchment paper on your backing tray or wooden board. Lightly sprinkle the powdered sugar or cornstarch on the paper. This will prevent your cough drops from sticking.
8. 8. Use a spoon to transfer your mixture into small drops onto the parchment paper and repeat until all of the mixture is on the paper.
9. 9. Coat the tops of your cough drops with powdered sugar or cornstarch.
10. 10. To store them, you can wrap them in parchment paper and stack them so they don’t stick to each other, or cover the whole sheet with another layer of parchment paper and store the whole thing in your fridge or freezer if you have space.
11. 11. They should be pretty hard after 30-45 minutes in your fridge or freezer and then they are ready for use. Enjoy!
