Medical research trials in Perth and Melbourne are using medicinal cannabis to treat the chronic long-term pain of AFL players.
Dubbed the ‘silent epidemic’, the heavy knocks that are part of the sport are causing injuries that leave players suffering with a lifetime of crippling pain.
Former AFL player Ryan Gale is one of the athletes now using daily doses of medicinal cannabis. Before the trials, Gale was using morphine.
The Australian research is hot on the heels of a guide released by Made By Hemp that explores how athletes are using CBD in the US.
The guide says CBD’s popularity comes from its purported benefits, including the potential to relieve pain, ameliorate stress and help reduce depression and anxiety.
The guide states: “More research is needed, but millions of people have found relief from a variety of symptoms by using CBD. Among those are athletes, whose stressful and injury-filled lifestyle leaves them as primary potential beneficiaries of CBD’s many benefits.”
To learn more about CBD for athletes, check out the guide here.