New research funded by the National Football League (NFL) highlights the growing acceptability of therapeutic cannabis in sports. Still, it also underscores the obstacles to marijuana research caused by ongoing federal prohibition that has hamstrung efforts to better understand the benefits and risks of cannabinoids for athletes.
Despite growing interest among athletes—and the recent relaxation of cannabis-policies by major sports leagues and governing bodies—authors of the scientific review article conclude there’s still a “knowledge gap” between demand for education and what clinicians actually know about marijuana’s effects.
“Misinformation, stigma, and barriers to research continue to perpetuate the confusion of the public regarding the potential therapeutic use of cannabinoids,” the study said, adding: “A focus primarily on negative messaging does not align with the anecdotal positive experiences of a growing number of people using cannabis products and contributes to a lack of trust in health policymakers.”
In 2022, the league announced $1 million in funding into how cannabinoids might be used for pain management and concussion protection. In addition to the latest project, that money also supported a clinical trial into CBD aimed at determining optimal dosage and whether the cannabinoid could potentially serve as an opioid alternative. It’s part of a paradigm shift away from prohibition-only policies that authors of the current study are highlighting.
