Turning Stigma... to Support
what did not scare me? Popping an 800 mg ibuprofen before every soccer game from the age of 15-19 years old, and I played soccer all year round, every season, every week. I genuinely thought that was normal. Cannabis is a natural plant that happens to activate a system within all of our bodies, known as the endocannabinoid system(ECS), which promotes homeostasis, or balance, within and throughout the body. By definition, homeostasis is “a self-regulating process by which biological systems maintain stability while adjusting to changing external conditions.” (Billman, 2020) The compounds found within Cannabis, known
as cannabinoids, activate the ECS, therefore helping to promote homeostasis. Cannabis is certainly not the villain in this story... It is a plant from nature that has historically been used as a therapeutic tool for thousands of years in many different cultures. Only in the last 100 years have the benefits of cannabinoids in general been suppressed and concealed, not only from the average American, but also from the medical schools and professionals. But, “why?” I think we all know. In a 2016 national study directed by Dr. Allen, it was found that “only 13% of the medical schools surveyed teach endocannabinoid science.” (Allen, 2016)
From teammates, to best friends, to roommates, to business partners, Angela Boyce and I operate as a well-oiled machine. After first crossing paths in 2017 as freshmen in college, we were faced with the rigorous lifestyles of student-athletes at the University of Akron. As Division 1 soccer players, we were held to standards and expectations that required perseverance physically and especially, mentally. During their recovery time, athletes at that level are doing whatever they can to be able to compete at their best every time they step out on the field. For some that may include ice baths, stretching, and massaging. For some, it took painkillers and for others, Cannabis was the answer. During my childhood and soccer career, my opinion on cannabis was a product of what the mainstream American culture wanted me to think. I thought it was a drug, I thought it was bad. The stigma was real to me. I had absolutely no idea what positive effects it could have on the body and mind. I never even considered using marijuana until I was done with competitive soccer. I feared random drug tests and didn’t want to risk getting my scholarship taken away. But you know
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