Like cypress or birch, cannabis can cause rhinitis, hives and, in the long run, asthma. Whether inhaled, smoked or chewed, the allergic risk exists, according to Belgian researchers.
Birch, plane tree, grasses, or even cypress, the list of allergenic pollens is long. And with the arrival of spring, it is better to know your allergies before choosing your vacation destination. But so that the latter do not turn into a nightmare, it is still necessary to know all the plants likely to poison our life. And as such, Belgian researchers unveiled a new one this Thursday, during the Francophone Allergology Congress 2014. It is cannabis: a staggering allergy!
40,000 people involved
Indeed, advice to all marijuana smokers, but Bob Marley’s plant could cause you health damage, beyond those already known to the brain or lungs. Red patches on the skin, itchy eyes, itchy mouth, even respiratory discomfort that resembles asthma, all these symptoms can indeed affect people allergic to hemp depending on their exposure. For example, anaphylaxis have been observed after ingesting cannabis seeds or drinking marihuana tea.
Regarding respiratory symptoms, they are mostly found in marijuana smokers when the allergen is airborne. They affect up to 1% of cannabis smokers, the study says. In France, this would represent around 40,000 people.
The “cannabis – fruit / vegetable” syndrome
In addition, according to the researchers, “we cannot lose sight of the fact that exposure to cannabis pollen (…) could also be the cause of respiratory symptoms such as rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma. »In France, the pollen counts of the National Aerobiological Surveillance Network (RNSA) indeed reveal the presence of cannabis pollen from the end of July to mid-August, mainly in Aix-en Provence, Grenoble, Bourgoin, Macon, Roussillon and Strasbourg as well. than in October in Ajaccio. No doubt because of the cultivation of “agricultural hemp”. The hemp fiber of these species is intended for the textile, paper and cordage industry, due to its resistance
In addition, the study indicates that in recent years, “an increasing number of cannabis allergy sufferers suffer from cross-allergies. This syndrome, which one could call the “cannabis – fruit / vegetable syndrome”, seems to mainly involve Can s 3, a non-specific lipid transfer protein (LTP). Being a stable allergen that is heat resistant and remains functional in the gastrointestinal tract, it can cause generalized reactions such as hives, dyspnea and anaphylaxis. For the Belgian team, the food allergy of plant origin linked to this LTP mainly concerned peaches, apples, cherries, fruits of the Rosaceae family, hazelnuts, tomatoes and sometimes citrus fruits such as orange and grapefruit.
Finally, the latter also demonstrated that sensitization to cannabis could possibly generate cross-reactivity with cereals, alcoholic beverages (beer and wine), Hévea latex and tobacco (Nicotinia Nicotinia tabacum).
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