Athletes Find Cannabis Beneficial While Actively Training

Cannabis use in active athletes- Behaviors related to subjective effects

In Summary

A recent study has found that the majority of athletes surveyed found cannabis beneficial when treating chronic pain and anxiety while still reporting elevated levels of fitness. The data suggested that adult athletes used cannabis in extremely responsible fashions, primarily reporting use for medical ailments, with 61% reporting daily use of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or a combination of both. Those who reported the greatest benefits and the largest amount of negative effects were long term users of a combination of CBD and THC. Cannabis may prove to be a novel therapy for current athletes during their recovery.

Interestingly, less than 30% of athletes who used cannabis products supported recreational use. There appears to be a group of medical users who find that the legalization of recreational cannabis is a hindrance to their care. Luckily most dispensaries in Massachusetts attempt to account for this issue by providing a separate entrance or section of the dispensary for medical use only so that they can avoid the mass of recreational users, although parking can still be an issue. Recreational use should not hinder medical care for patients, suggesting that separate retail locations or methods of retrieval should remain in place, if not become further segregated, to provide ease for medical users.