The World Anti-Doping Agency has ruled that Cannabidiol from hemp is safer than cough medicine.
Canadian rower and Sports Hall-of-Famer, Silken Laumann, learned the hard way how the use of a banned performance-enhancing substances can damage or even end an athlete’s career Laumann was stripped of her quadruple sculls gold medal from the 1995 Pan American Games after testing positive for pseudoephedrine, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Laumann’s case is particularly unsettling because she inadvertently took the drug via a cold medication. Yet, athletes are always looking for a competitive edge to build their speed, strength and endurance while staying healthy—Lance Armstrong fiasco aside.
The World Anti-Doping Agency was created to establish the global standard via the World Anti-Doping Code, whose provisions are enforced by the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport. The aims of the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention and the United States Anti-Doping Agency are also closely aligned with those of WADA. In November 2007,
more than 600 sports organizations adopted the code, including the summer and winter games and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
2018 will be a major platform for competitive sports after the winter games in South Korea and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. And with the trend towards global acceptance and legalization of CBD-Hemp Oil extracts and products, much of the dialog centers around the use of cannabinoids and sports.
While marijuana, and the psychoactive component THC derived from it, remains a prohibited substance, WADA officially removed cannabidiol (CBD) derived from hemp oil, from its Prohibited Substances List as of January 1, 2018. This is significant as WADA harmonizes global policy as the strictest anti-doping rules in all competitive sports. It is the bellwether for amateur sports leagues such the NCAA, and professional sports organizations such as the NFL, NHL, MLB and the NBA.
CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid studied to be a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotectant. Ongoing research supports that CBD is known to optimize daily performance, treat chronic pain and inflammation-based conditions and help athletes to recover from injuries. WADA reports "cannabidiol is no longer prohibited as it does not mimic the effects of THC and clarifies that marijuana is "still a prohibited substance".
In the case of Asia, CBD from marijuana is currently prohibited across all major Asian countries. However, the legal use of naturally occurring cannabinoids from hemp oil is still to be determined in South Korea. In the United States, marijuana is federally illegal, but hemp provides a legal option for licensed clinicians. WADA's new ruling now opens CBD up to sports medicine practitioners such as physiotherapists, kinesiologists and team physicians.
Another concerning issue for many athletes, particularly in the NFL and NHL, is repeated head injuries and concussion, which can have lasting effects over the lifetime of an athlete. CBD is considered viable to treat and even prevent chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes who have a history of trauma to the brain. In one neuropathology study, 99% of former NFL players tested positive for CTE. The NFL endorses studies of opiate-free cannabinoids to treat pain and inflammation, but currently suspends players for testing positive for THC, and has yet to respond to WADA's new rules on CBD.
Recent CBD-focused clinical trials found on www.pubmed.gov show efficacy of CBC as an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotectant (a shock absorber against concussions). Inflammation control is also key as it is widely known as the root cause of major disorders and diseases.
One company that is specifically targeting the use of CBD for sports and active lifestyles is
Phivida Holdings Inc.(CNX: C.VIDA,
OTC:PHVAF,
Forum). According to the company’s CEO, Phivida seeks to “equip, empower and educate professional athletes, and active professionals with the option of using CBD-Hemp oil extract as an alternative to opiate-based pain killers.” To that end, the company recently formed a partnership with like-minded Superheroes Management (SHM) sports marketing agency, and signed World Surfing League Pro Surfing star, Ms. Malia Manuel as its first brand ambassador.
Phivida, listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange as “VIDA”, is developing and bringing to market its branded CBD hemp oil extracts, CBD infused functional foods and beverages, and higher potency CBD tinctures, vitamin shots and topicals for healthcare practitioners. The company is also sponsoring leading edge clinical research on the efficacy and bioavailability (the degree and rate at which an administered drug is absorbed by the body's circulatory system) of its hemp-derived CBD products. Phivida's full-spectrum CBD hemp oil extract from permitted hemp farms is rich in CBD, but less than 0.3% THC, for full compliance with WADA and US federal laws.
Phivida is actively pursuing partnerships with leagues around the world. working as WADA’s January 1
st ruling has made Phivida’s CBD-Hemp Oil infusions safe for use by athletes everywhere, for the first time in the history of competitive sports.
There is a lot more research and education ahead to validate the use of CBD in sports. Meanwhile, athletes can now feel at ease using hemp derived CBD products to gain that competitive edge without risking their future.