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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.

Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

FACT BRIEF

Did a study find that a cannabis compound helped prevent SARS-CoV-2 from infecting cells?

Monday, January 31, 2022

By Lisa Freedland

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YES

Researchers from Oregon State University observed that two cannabis compounds, CBGA (cannabigerolic acid) and CBDA (cannabidiolic acid), are able to block SARS-CoV-2 from entering cells. By attaching themselves to spike proteins on the virus, the compounds block an important step in the infection process.

This does not mean smoking weed will prevent COVID-19. The purity of the tested compounds was higher than that available in commercial products. In a separate study, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive component of cannabis, did not keep the virus out of cells, and even blocked the therapeutic effect of CBD when combined with the non-psychoactive compound.

Scientists emphasize that more research must be done to corroborate the findings.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

National Library of Medicine Cannabinoids Block Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2 and the Emerging Variants

National Library of Medicine Cannabidiol Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Promotes the Host Innate Immune Response

Miami Herald Can cannabis prevent COVID? Maybe – but not by smoking it, experts say. What to know

Vice A Q&A With the Scientist Who Discovered Cannabis Can Prevent COVID-19

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Gigafact

Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

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About fact briefs published on Gigafact

Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.