Mitch’s Pitches

Let me pitch you something: athletes should be allowed to utilize all the medical benefits of marijuana or consume any THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) based products, without repercussions.

Lester Grinspoon, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, has been studying the medicinal effects of marijuana for 45 years. He has stated that there is a correlation between THC and healing concussions.

Cancer patients who are going through chemotherapy have turned to marijuana to help alleviate pain, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite from the intense therapy. The pain relief that marijuana induces could play a major role in recovery from sports-related injuries.

We have seen major progression in the marijuana movement among professional athletes in 2016, with several athletes speaking out and advocating the use of marijuana in sports.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which deals with drug policies for The Olympics, have been more lenient toward marijuana use. According to USA Today, the WADA amended its rules on cannabis use for the Rio Olympics, raising the threshold for a positive test from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng/ml. Ben Nichols, a spokesperson for WADA, said the raising of the threshold is meant to catch only athletes who smoke during the period of a competition. The drug isn’t prohibited out of competition.

More recently, during the weekend, former NFL player Eben Britton, told the New York Post that he smoked cannabis before at least three NFL games. He also stated that the three NFL games he played high were some of the best games he ever played.

acts with her father as he was her base and spotter, but not all her family were involved at the same time.

In addition to, Moyles had to make a decision as in what sport she wanted to play. It was either soccer or volleyball.

“I chose volleyball cause that’s what I loved to do,” Moyles said I got a little burned out with soccer and I found volleyball and I loved it so I never stopped.”

Moyles’s parents were athletic as both also attended college.

“My dad played football all through college. He graduated from Cal Poly Pomona,” Moyles said. “My mother did not play any sports, but she was a cheerleader in high school.” mvigil.roundupnews@gmail.com

Now, I am not advocating to let these athletes play under the influence, in fact, I am not saying that athletes necessarily have to get high to get better, but rather, to utilize the medicinal purpose of CBD (Cannabidiol), which is a key ingredient in marijuana that does not get you high and low doses of THC as a medicine without psychoactive effects getting you high.

Former NFL quarterback — and now cannabis advocate — Jake Plummer, credits cannabis for healing his muscle and joint pain, as well as frequent headaches. In fact, the type of cannabis Plummer is taking are cannabis derived oils, which has anti-inflammatory properties and no psychoactive effects.

Of course, athletes do not always consume cannabis for its medical purpose, but rather for recreational use as a means of lowering anxiety and for relaxation. But

I say: let them have THC running through their blood. A common argument cannabis users would say to their naysayers would be that alcohol is much worse with no real health benefits, and is legal for recreational use, but I’ll spare you from the humdrum. With four legal recreational marijuana use and 25 legal medical us, it’s time the sports world acted more like the government, and be more tolerant to marijuana use.