CBD is suitable for athletes, says the World Anti-Doping Agency (4/12/17)
https://www.dinafem.org/en/blog/cbd-suitable-athletes-says-world-anti-doping-
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CBD has become marijuana’s first active
ingredient to be removed from the World
Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited
substances.
The news was released at a press conference
held last September by Oliver Niggli,
WADA’s Director General, and will come
into effect on 1 January 2018.
So far, WADA classified "all natural
cannabinoids, e.g. cannabis, hashish and
marijuana" as prohibited substances.
This included CBD, which is now classified
as an exception.
Cannabis and athletes
The relationship between professional
athletes and marijuana is a much closer one
than you would expect, and even if it does not
affect the physical abilities of the user, way
too many athletes have had their careers
damaged to greater or lesser degrees after
testing positive for cannabis.
For the first time in the history of doping, one
of the components found in cannabis has been
classified as suitable for athletes, who can
now use it without fear of being sanctioned.
WADA’s Prohibited List, which will come
into force in January 2018, still classifies
cannabinoids in general and THC in particular
as prohibited substances, but specifically
allows the use of cannabidiol.
CBD or cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive
component found in some cannabis strains.
It acts as a THC antagonist, reducing its
effects,
and
has
anti-inflammatory,
anticonvulsant, neuroprotective, anti-stress
and muscle relaxing properties.
Further, it does not interfere with brain
function and has proven medicinal value,
which has most probably influenced the
World Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to
remove it from the 2018 Prohibited List aimed
at professional athletes.
In 2008, Swimmer Michael Phelps was
suspended for three months for cannabis use,
while Spanish gymnast Gervasio Deferr was
stripped of all the titles he won from October
2002 and January 2003, among which two
world medals, one gold and one silver.
Yet more and more athletes are coming out of
the 'cannabis' closet, publicly defending both
medical and recreational use.
Here are some of them.
Eugene Monroe, football player (NFL)
This American footballer played seven
seasons in the National Football League
(NFL) and announced his retirement at the
age of 29 over concerns for head trauma
sustained on the field.
He found relief from the pain of his injuries
by resorting to the analgesic effects of
marijuana, which prompted him to advocate
for the removal of cannabis from the list of
banned substances in American football.
In recent years, he has become a prominent
cannabis activist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfws67
GW0fA