Pushing the human body to the absolute extreme sounds insane, but that’s the job of an athlete. Athletes push their bodies to the limit for excellence. We see them perform all year long in various sports from baseball, football, soccer, and those are just seasonal. The Olympic games have become a global event of fitness and strength for over 500 years, and we watch in awe at their amazing talent. But for the life of an athlete, rest and recovery are essential. As cannabis is becoming accepted in health and wellness, many athletes have drawn themselves to CBD/THC in their recovery. And this could be great for the global legalization of cannabis. Now more than ever, the cannabis industry needs athletes.
How do CBD/THC products help athletes during training and recovery?
Since athletes put an overwhelming amount of stress on their bodies, the body often experiences muscle fatigue. CBD is an inflammatory agent that helps with healing those muscles. “CBD may offer benefits by helping combat this stress, which can support athletic recovery,” says Andie Scherer, a Nutrition Content Specialist at Theralogix. “Some individuals also take CBD to support healthy sleep patterns, which is essential to achieve optimal athletic performance, especially during periods of intense training.” Research shows that the usage of CBD inactive people is mainly for anxiety, stress, and sleep.
Why do athletes who use CBD products matter to the cannabis industry?
Athletes, much like celebrities, have fame. Their status in media has influenced people for generations on healthy lifestyle and supplementation. If athletes can provide a great example of living a holistic lifestyle while including CBD in their regimen, it will showcase the positive and powerful benefits of cannabis.
Although cannabis has been known for helping athletes with recovery, there is still speculation on the acceptance of cannabis in sports. Across athletic organizations and leagues, the threshold and penalties for athletes found to have CBD/THC in their system varies. Even Olympic athletes are penalized for weed. Michael Phelps lost sponsorship deals after a photograph of him smoking out of a bong, and more recently, the ban Sha’Carri Richardson received from competing after testing positive for THC.
Cannabis is still not federally approved as social acceptance grows. Athletes can normalize the usage of CBD. “Coming from an industry perspective, this kind of representation is crucial for mainstream media and the public,” says Ally Hilbert from Elevate Holistics — a telehealth platform focusing on medical marijuana cards. “Right now, there are still a lot of misconceptions about CBD, but seeing your favorite athlete help recover their muscles or overcome performance anxiety with a bit of CBD can change some minds.”
In what ways can athletes influence more people to use CBD in their wellness regimen?
When it comes to instant news, social media is king. Now more than ever, people are getting their news from apps or social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter, giving athletes an instant platform. The more athletes and celebrities document their everyday lives and products they use; then the more companies want in on this gold-mined. Research shows that now, marketers know how to effectively plan and implement ads over social media platforms. With more athletes promoting holistic wellness and CBD usage, more cannabis companies can promote their products. First-person stories from athletes will help normalize the usage of cannabis and help the masses see it for its positive potential instead of its rocky past.
Athletes and other celebrities can help shape the conversation of cannabis in ways the industry might not have imagined. However, the combo of media and athletes might not just shape the face of wellness, but it can also shape the path of cannabis for good.