This is a great subject and is tossed around by proponents and opponents alike. I need to point out that I am not a doctor. Therefore, can not and am not attempting to give you medical advice. This article is for your education only and for you to decide what is best for you. Most everyone agrees that smoke of any kind will irritate even the healthiest of lungs. So what causes the symptoms of COPD? How can an herb help ease the suffering?
Can cannabis ease COPD symptoms? COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a progressive disease that restricts the air flow in and out of the lungs. This happens due to a build up of phlegm and inflammation of the airways. These conditions, if left unchecked will get increasingly worse and has been known to be fatal! Standard AMA approved methods of treating COPD include inhalers, nebulizers, and corticosteroids. Inhalers and nebulizers are delivered to the lungs by inhaling. That indicates that 
medication delivered into the lungs has a quicker reaction time. Corticosteroids are taken orally or by injection to get the medication into the blood stream.
medication delivered into the lungs has a quicker reaction time. Corticosteroids are taken orally or by injection to get the medication into the blood stream.How can cannabis ease COPD symptoms? My opinion here is somewhat bias because I too had to deal with similar symptoms. Not being able to breathe easily and having a low O2 level, the doctors put me on an oxygen therapy. Daytime levels improved but night time was another issue. After a period of time, the CO2 built up in my blood which caused hypoxia. That trip to the hospital resulted in increased oxygen at night along with a Bi-pap machine. As unusual as it was, my attending physician recommended that I use cannabis and delete the opioid that I had been taking for restless legs and muscle pains.
How to use Cannabis to ease COPD
We have already learned that standard treatment includes delivering directly into the lungs and into the bloodstream. Cannabis can be delivered by both means as well. I found relief by smoking some cannabis before bedtime. However, I must report that the harshness of the smoke was sometimes tough to take. I bought a small inexpensive vaporizer that could vaporize the dried herb. That made inhaling the cannabis much easier and less harsh, without the burnt carbon and higher heat. This gets the medication into the source of the problem. I found that after a relatively short period of time that I was able to stop using the O2 during the day. Every morning I could count on coughing up phlegm.
After making my first batch of RSO, I stopped vaping and just took the oil orally. Soon afterward the doctor determined that I no longer needed the Bi-pap and reduced the nightly O2 amount. I personally have found benefits to both delivery methods and have become comfortable using both methods and I enjoy easy breathing.
How does cannabis ease COPD
Cannabis has many compounds that are still being discovered. The two main cannabinoids are THC and CBD. Both of these elements act as anti-inflammatories and relaxers. I found through research that the cannabinoids in cannabis are easily absorbed because the body already has receptors to receive them. Much like the food that you eat is digested and assimilated, so is the cannabinoids assimilated.
Chemicals and lab produced compounds have to trick your body into doing what it wants it to do. The body can not absorb these pharmaceuticals and therefore often have some lingering and often serious side effects. You need to decide what method of treatment you would prefer. Discuss it with your doctor, or one that with discuss it with you. I have taken a very proactive stance on my health recovery and it seems to be working. I hope that this information helps to answer any or at least one of your questions that you may have had.