Written by The 2018 World Cup Is Underway With Players Able To Use Cannabidiol (CBD) For The First Time:
The Soccer ball is rolling at the World Cup today, but there are some interesting differences in the ability to stop game-changing injuries, especially those to the head this year at the cup. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has officially removed the marijuana derivative cannabidiol, usually sold as CBD oil, from the banned substance list. That makes this the first World Cup or for that matter any publicized global sporting event, in which any substance that’s related to Cannabis will be allowed to be used by its players.
My Fiance Anne Mari loves this event. She tells me that she’ll wait for years to watch the games. It’s surprising as she’s not much of a sports fanatic, for this reason, I decided today to write about the World Cup allowing CBD on the field.
With the huge push towards the legalization of the cannabis plant in America and across the globe, other cannabis derivatives like CBD oil, have intrigued researchers and players alike. You can’t get high off of CBD, unlike the more popular psychoactive cannabinoid THC, and preliminary research has shown that it’s effective in treating all types of health issues from Epilepsy that comes from head injuries to players as well as some types of chronic pain.
The world of professional sports has been desirous of approaching the use of CBD, however, because of its link to THC, authorities have hesitated as the plant itself is still heavily judged due to the extensive history of marginalizing its medicinal abilities. But that’s changed – it’s now allowing soccer players to go full force knowing that there’s something to protect their body and brain.
THC and CBD are closely related as they come from the same plant – Cannabis but are chemically distinct. There’s the Cannabis Hemp or Industrial Hemp plant that CBD is derived from which is now considered legal nationwide in America in accordance with current legislation. As well there are types of Cannabis that are not Industrial Hemp that produces high-quality Cannabidiol. But that’s not the issue here, drug testing for THC is. The burden is now on WADA’s drug testing abilities which shouldn’t be too difficult.
THC metabolizes in a very different way than CBD and is easy to detect. Various authorities have weighed in on the ability to tell the difference and it’s quite simple to see that most of them are confused about cannabinoid medicine. But, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is not confused, they’ve lifted the ban, and CBD is allowed!
Above is an excerpt from WADA’s prohibited substance list. CBD is the only exception to a blanket ban on Cannabinoids.
Both THC and CBD are derived from the same type of plant – Cannabis. The differences between Cannabis Hemp and other types are very obvious. Hemp grows in rows and is farmed much like other agriculture in most cases. Many states that both THC and CBD ‘almost’ share the exact same molecular formula: The only difference is that CBD has one extra hydroxyl group attached to it.
That single hydroxyl group is all that stands between a psychoactive compound and what research suggests is legitimate anti-inflammatory, and it makes all the difference. THC which is also known for its anti-inflammatory effects, pain relief, and much more is still on WADA’s banned substance list, so any trace of THC is enough to get you banned from international competition. There is NO exception!
The science community appears to have a greater appreciation for the nuanced but significant difference between the two compounds and is treating them accordingly. Researchers at New York University recently held a conference dedicated to investigating research in regards to the oil’s medicinal potential as an anti-convulsant, especially for patients with epilepsy. Earlier, in 2009, a study published in Future Medicinal Chemistry claimed that cannabinoids in general “suppress inflammatory response and subsequently attenuate disease symptoms.” Even the World Health Organization calls CBD “generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.”
Tennessee Titans Linebacker Derrick Morgan, fearing the increasingly documented degenerative effects of CTE, used CBD oil as an anti-inflammatory to help soothe the effects of repeated blows to the head. “For me, it was the neuro-protectant qualities of it,” he said in a CBS interview.
Professional sports leagues, however, are not too easily convinced for the most part but I have personally spoken with promoters for UFC/MMA fights that want it now, and with the recent clarity in law regarding this in the U.S. and W.A.D.A., I believe we’ll see it. Although CBD is still banned in the NFL, MLB, and other US-based sports leagues, and even though no World Cup player has come forward announcing their plans to use CBD oil; W.A.D.A. has made a huge move for all of us with this groundbreaking decision that at first seemed surreal, now it’s happening and without a doubt we know players are using it!
As a Cannabis patient myself – I’m excited. Knowing that the plant saved my own brain after a high-speed impact in a sporting event (professional auto racing) makes this even more intense. Without a doubt, I know that there are players that get concussions which cause a lifetime of problems – even Epilepsy. But with CBD on board, it’s a whole new world of sports!
Mike Robinson, Medicinal Cannabis Patient and Director of Communications, The American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine
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