Hydrolife Magazine August/September 2017 [USA Edition]

heal
Individuals that physically handle the
plant, even if they do not use it themselves,
have been reported to have had topical
allergic reactions. Cases of hives, pruritis (itching
anywhere on the body due to exposure of an allergen),
and swelling around the eyes have been reported. As
the legitimate cannabis industry continues to grow
and employ individuals to grow and harvest it, it is
important that employers keep these in mind and
ensure that appropriate protective equipment is in
place for their employees. These same symptoms have
been found to also occur in individuals that do not
smoke cannabis, but chew or otherwise ingest it by
ways other than smoking.
Cross-reactivity
Numerous studies, mostly European, have found definitive
cases where cannabis use has caused allergic reactions
in numerous food and fiber substances. This phenomenon
has been dubbed “cannabis-fruit/vegetable syndrome”
(as if we needed another excuse not to eat our fruits and
veggies) or alternatively, “cannabis-plant syndrome.”
Foods most commonly implicated with this syndrome include
peaches, cherries, bananas, apples, nuts, and some
citrus fruits. Allergic reactions to wheat, tobacco, wine,
beer, or other foods with hops as an ingredient and latex
have all been reported as well.
AS THC LEVELS continue to rise,
so does the probability of allergic
reactions to cannabis.
Unfortunately, there is not yet any cure for sufferers of this
syndrome. Even the cessation of cannabis use does not reverse
the food allergies that have developed; once it occurs,
it seems to be there for good. Even worse, there is some
evidence that the cross-reactions leading to food allergies
can be caused by passive and indirect contact with cannabis,
such that even if an individual that has never actively
consumed cannabis and only encountered it unknowingly,
such as through pollen inhalation or second-hand smoke,
could develop these reactions.
Chris Bond is the manager of the McKay Farm and Research
Station at Unity College in Maine. His research interests are
with sustainable agriculture, biological pest control, as well as
alternative growing methods. He is a certified permaculture
designer and certified nursery technician in Ohio and a
certified nursery professional in New York, where he got his
start in growing.
60 grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
myhydrolife.com