By Marguerite Arnold Reviewed by: Carles Doménech


Herpes is a diagnosis people wish to avoid, but what exactly does this condition involve? Many are aware that cold sores are also herpes, but how do they differ from genital herpes? And what are the implications on one’s health? Here we look into the different types of herpes simplex virus, their symptoms, and existing treatments. In doing so, we can then consider the impact cannabis may have on herpes—for better or for worse.

What Is Herpes Simplex?

There are two types of herpes simplex virus: type one and type two. These are known as HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively, but more on the distinction shortly.

HSV-1 and HSV-2 are responsible for cases of oral and genital herpes—with the oral variety more commonly known as cold sores. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.7 billion people[1] under the age of 50 (67% of the global population) have the HSV-1 infection, with 13% having HSV-2.

Some staggering numbers, but in most cases, the infections are asymptomatic. But what’s the difference between the two varieties?

  • HSV-1 and HSV-2

HSV-1 and HSV-2 are similar, but exhibit some important differences.

HSV-1 is by far the more common and, thankfully, milder iteration of the herpes simplex virus. Most people become infected some time during childhood, and find that the virus presents few, if any, symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they often take the form of cold sores when the infection is oral, and slight ulcers when the infection is genital. With HSV-1, almost all cases are oral, and recur rarely, posing few issues.

HSV-2 is less common, and can be much more severe. However, the majority of HSV-2 infections actually remain asymptomatic, but can nevertheless spread. Almost all HSV-2 cases are genital. The bad news is, the initial outbreak(s) can be severe and painful, and the infection is lifelong. The good news is, the recurrence and severity of outbreaks will recede with time.

How Herpes Spreads

With both genital and oral herpes, the vast majority of transmission happens via skin-to-skin contact. Kissing, sex, or even drinking from the same vessels can spread herpes. But there are a few things we can do to dramatically reduce the likelihood of spreading/catching it.

First and foremost, while infected people are always potential vectors of these viruses, they are far more infectious when they are actually symptomatic; that is, when they have cold sores or genital ulcers. So if you have these symptoms, stay off others for a while!

Cannabis and Herpes: Can It Help?

With HSV-1, that’s about all you can reasonably do in terms of avoiding it. Given that most people have it—and you most likely do too—avoiding kissing anyone your whole life is probably not a viable, nor a worthwhile, solution to avoiding herpes. HSV-2 is a slightly different matter. While not as infectious, the physical symptoms tend to be worse, and come with psychological stress as well.

HSV-2 is spread almost exclusively via sexual contact, and most carriers won’t actually know they’ve got it. Wearing a condom reduces the likelihood of catching it, but doesn’t remove it entirely. So, first off, if you know you have it, be honest, even if you’re asymptomatic. Second, it’s worth being aware that women are about twice as susceptible to catching HSV-2 compared to men.

Finally, both types can take the form of neonatal herpes, where the infant becomes infected during birth. While occurrences of this are very low, about 10 in every 100,000 births, it can be a severe and life-altering infection, causing lasting disability. In most cases, having herpes does not in itself present much of a danger, as infectiousness reduces dramatically over time. Babies are at greatest risk in instances where the mother has herself become infected during the pregnancy and the infection is at its most virulent.

  • Herpes Symptoms

The symptoms of herpes, when they do occur, tend to be unpleasant and painful. Each version of the virus exhibits slightly different symptoms.

HSV-1 Symptoms

HSV-1 symptoms are more straightforward, and almost always located around the mouth. They include:

• Cold sores
• Ulcers in the mouth
• Itching and tingling in and around mouth
• Genital/anal ulcers and blisters (rare)

HSV-2 Symptoms

The symptoms of HSV-2 can vary a little more, and tend to be more severe. They include:

• Genital or anal blisters/ulcers
• Fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes (with new infections)
• Tingling or shooting pains in legs, hips, and buttocks (before the onset of new blisters/ulcers)

  • Herpes Treatments

Existing treatments for herpes are few, and loaded with side effects. Moreover, these treatments do not cure the infection, but rather deal with the symptoms. Antivirals, such as acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir, are most commonly prescribed to fight either form of the virus, though only in very few cases is HSV-1 treated with drugs.

Genital herpes, on the other hand, may well be treated with drugs, especially during the initial stages of the infection. Again, these drugs are no cure, and may come with significant side effects, including:

Headaches Dizziness
Nausea Sensitivity to light
Vomiting Diarrhoea

Cannabis and Herpes

There is much talk of determining the potential of cannabis in relation to herpes. This is largely due to a few pieces of research beginning in the 1980s, which have been inflated to suggest that cannabis may be of great help. However, there is also a significant body of research that suggests cannabis may in fact have a negative impact on the symptoms of herpes. Below we investigate the findings at present.

THC

The initial piece of research that caused people to draw a link between cannabis and herpes was conducted in 1980. Researchers claimed that both HSV-1 and HSV-2 were unable to replicate[2] in human cell monolayer cultures when THC was added 8 hours before, at the time of, or 8 hours after infection. In 1991, similar results[3] were found. While both studies indicate that THC may have an effect on the herpes virus, both took place in vitro (outside the human body), under very specific conditions.

Other, in vivo studies (on animals) suggest that THC may not be that helpful when it comes to herpes. A 1986 study[4] tested THC in a model of HSV-2 in guinea pigs. Guinea pigs were chosen as they seem to exhibit a similar response to HSV-2 as humans do. The results were not promising. It was observed that the higher the dose of THC received by the guinea pigs, the worse herpes became compared to the control group—it was even fatal for some. A year prior, in 1985, a similar study involving mice found more or less the same results[5].

More broadly, and more recently, a 2010 paper investigated the effects of cannabinoids[6] on many different viral infections, including HSV-1. It found that with a few types of persistent viral infections, cannabinoids showed some potential. With all others, though, it appeared that cannabinoids actually decreased the body’s ability to cope with infections. HSV-1 was among the latter group.

CBD

To date, there appear to be no specific studies looking into the relationship between CBD and herpes. However, a 2020 paper[7] looked at CBD’s relationship to viral infections more generally. Drawing on research papers and anecdotal evidence found on the internet, it concluded that though there may be some relationship, evidence is still severely lacking and most claims are unsubstantiated. As such, it highlights the need to investigate whether CBD could have any effect on viral infections.

Should You Use Cannabis for Herpes?

As it stands, there is no reason to believe that cannabis is a viable course of treatment for herpes. It’s probably best to stick to more proven remedies—time being the best among them. The last thing you want to do is make the condition worse!

With that said, it is far too early to say with confidence that cannabis presents no potential either. The current body of research on cannabis and herpes has yet to reach the domain of human study, and thus very little can be concluded one way or the other.

Will Herpes Go Away?

Neither virus will leave your body. HSV-1 will recede, often with very few symptoms in the first place. From then on, you will be its host, and you’ll likely know nothing (or little) more about it. Other than using a little sense if you’re actually exhibiting symptoms, there’s little you can do if you have HSV-1.

HSV-2, on the other hand, can be more problematic in the long term, but there are things you can do. Symptoms tend to resurge when your immune system becomes suppressed. So living a generally healthy lifestyle is the single best way to keep herpes at bay. Exercise, a healthy diet, a good sleeping pattern; all of these things will keep your immune system strong and herpes infections suppressed, reducing your symptoms and infectiousness. And in time, the virus will lose power anyway. But as always, prevention is the best cure!

External Resources:
  1. Herpes simplex virus https://www.who.int
  2. The Effect of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Herpes Simplex Virus Replication | Microbiology Society https://www.microbiologyresearch.org
  3. Suppressive effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on herpes simplex virus infectivity in vitro - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. Effect of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on herpes simplex virus type 2 vaginal infection in the guinea pig - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol decreases host resistance to herpes simplex virus type 2 vaginal infection in the B6C3F1 mouse - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Cannabinoids and Viral Infections - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. Cannabidiol for Viral Diseases: Hype or Hope? https://www.liebertpub.com
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: