Can Marijuana Cure Coronavirus?
As of February 11, over 40,000 people had contracted the coronavirus, and 1,018 people had died from pneumonia caused by the disease. Rumors have circulated online claiming that marijuana can cure the illness. Let’s take a closer look at whether this is true.
Does Cannabis Kill Coronavirus?
On February 8, Indian filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri posted on Twitter: “India is capable of solving many global problems. But this won’t happen as long as you mock the wisdom of our ancestors. Marijuana is a magical plant. Until 1980, Western pharmaceutical companies and Rajiv Gandhi’s government traded in cannabis. Let’s legalize marijuana.” Attached to the post was an image stating, “Marijuana kills coronavirus.”
It was later revealed that Vivek was spreading false information. He had taken a screenshot from a meme-making website, not a legitimate news report. The director used the hype around the virus to remind people about the need to lift the ban on cannabis.
Scientists Disprove Claims About Marijuana’s Antiviral Potential
Dr. Sumaiya Shaikh commented on the claim that cannabis can kill coronavirus: “Cannabinoids have antibacterial properties. However, bacteria and viruses are not the same. Bacteria are single-celled pathogens, while viruses are non-cellular infectious agents. Currently, there is no evidence that marijuana can destroy coronavirus.”
Facebook Removes Posts About Marijuana as a Coronavirus Cure
In February, Facebook began removing posts, photos, and videos containing misinformation about the coronavirus. The platform targeted posts about conspiracy theories (such as the virus escaping from a Chinese lab developing biological weapons) and supposed cures for the disease. Some user-suggested therapies are harmless, like taking vitamin C, cannabinoids, or oregano oil, or using air purifiers. However, some dangerous suggestions have also appeared, such as inhaling bleach fumes.
Twitter and YouTube do not remove fake information. Instead, these sites use a strategy of prioritizing search results. When users search for “coronavirus,” they first see content uploaded by government agencies, particularly the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).