The need for alternatives such as antiviral drugs is being raised due to the side effects of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) vaccine, as well as 'breakthrough infections' cases that are confirmed after completion of vaccination.

In addition, recently, following the alpha, beta, and gamma, delta mutant viruses have emerged, raising concerns about the uselessness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In this situation, the discovery of numerous scientists that cannabis cannabinoids can act inside the SARS-CoV-2 virus to neutralize the virus itself is emerging as an alternative to the COVID-19 vaccine along with the UN's recognition of medical cannabis.

Breakthrough infection and mutated virus

The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) vaccine does not prevent infection with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, but prevents symptoms.

As Emeritus Professor Lee Wang-jae of Seoul Medical University puts it, RNA viruses can not be prevented by vaccine itself . This is because SARS-CoV-2 virus is an RNA virus that constantly mutates like the flu or a cold that is triggered when you feel cold.

Also, since the COVID-19 vaccine does not prevent infection, it cannot prevent a mutant virus with a change in the shape of the spike protein.

The COVID-19 vaccine was created based on the hypothesis that only the spike protein on the surface of the virus, not the entire SARS-CoV-2 virus, would be injected into the human body to experience it before the actual virus invades and gain immunity. .

However, as the shape of the spike protein continued to mutate, the spike protein of the existing COVID-19 vaccine started to get outdated fast and furious.

Antiviral drugs and traditional medicine

Accordingly, scientists began to look for alternative antiviral drugs with the view of targeting the inside of the virus rather than the surface of the virus.

Scientists have revealed that antiviral drugs such as hydrochloroquine and remdesivir, which were emphasized by the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump , act inside the SARS-CoV-2 virus to help overcome the COVID-19 infection.

However, these various antiviral drugs, like the COVID-19 vaccine, were not free from controversy about side effects.

Under this circumstance, it has been scientifically proven that the cannabinoid component of cannabis, which has been safely used for thousands of years in human history, acts on the main protease inside the SARS-CoV-2 virus to neutralize the virus's replication ability.

Vinit Raj, Jae Gyu Park, Kiu-Hyung Cho, Pilju Choi, Taejung Kim, Jungyeob Ham, Jintae Lee, Assessment of antiviral potencies of cannabinoids against SARS-CoV-2 using computational and in vitro approaches, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules,
Volume 168, 2021, Pages 474-485, ISSN 0141-8130, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.12.020.

Volunteer human trial

However, a Korean living in Hong Kong was summoned by the South Korean government for breaking cannabis law. He claimed that the medical effects of cannabis have already been clearly scientifically proven, and if it is recognized, legalized, and decriminalized, it will end the COVID-19 situation and enjoy international tourism specials.

Being frustrated, he volunteered a human trial and wrote an open petition letter to the Korean government.

(Reference article Korean with translation: Hong Kong residents accused of violating the cannabis law, volunteered for human testing to prove immunity to SARS-CoV-2 virus)