A retired American football player has added his voice to the chorus of former sports stars who claim CBD helped them recover from their injuries.
Two-time Denver Broncos Super Bowl champion Terrell Davis is advocating for the NFL to allow players to use CBD, the non-intoxicating extract of the marijuana and hemp plants.
Davis, the co-founder of the CBD-infused Defy sports drink brand, told CNBC that CBD is “a beautiful thing”.
He added: “It’s worked for me. It’s worked for a lot of players.”
“In a few years, hopefully sooner rather than later… CBD will be something that players who are currently playing will be able to use as a measure of taking care of the pain management, the inflammation.”
Earlier this week, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announced a partnership with a CBD company whose products he claims helped with the sport injuries he sustained.
“It’s worked for me. It’s worked for a lot of players.”
Terrell Davis
Gronkowski, who announced his retirement from the NFL in March, said he is working with CBDMEDIC, which makes products for “safe, natural, and temporary relief”.
He told a press conference: “That is a big deal. You can just call me Mr Recovery. Yeah, you know you like that name.”
The three-time Super Bowl champion said the cannabinoid is the “most safe alternative way that a player can deal with pain”.
Athletes, their teams, and sporting bodies are looking at CBD as a safe alternative to opioid pain relief.
America is currently in the grip of an opioid epidemic, and many victims claim their addiction began with a prescription for an injury.
The benefits include pain relief and a reduction in inflammation – both of which are necessities for athletes. CBD also provides the possibility of neuroprotective benefits for athletes prone to head and brain injuries.
There is a lot of confusion surrounding CBD in the US. Most cannabidiol products were made legal by December’s ‘Farm Bill’, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that all CBD added to food in the US is still illegal.
