​Toke and Run

This story is by Sean Teehan from NY Cannabis Insider
 
On the morning of the 2005 Rochester Marathon, Brian Lane considered not showing up for the race.  Juggling his job with the U.S. Postal Service, raising two children, and going through a divorce took the wind out of his sails, and running a long-distance race felt like a chore.  But people were expecting him to be there, so he dragged himself out of bed, took four heavy bong rips and made his way to the starting line.
 
Lane ran the 26-mile race with a time of 3:11:23, finishing 16 out of 658 runners and qualifying for his first Boston Marathon.
 
Lane is owner and compliance officer at Rochester based hemp processing company NOWAVE and host of Hempthlethics, a podcast about incorporating Cannabis into exercise.
 
“I think it’s the most under talked about niche,” Lane told NY Cannabis Insider.
A subset of users some call “cannathletes” are becoming increasingly visible.
In a University of Colorado survey of 600 Cannabis users, 80% reported using Cannabis before, during, and after workouts.  “Everyone who is a regular Cannabis user that I have brought onto my show, they’re all active,” says Lane. “There’s nobody sitting on their couches doing nothing.”  Lane’s long-term goal is to release a line of products that cater to the cannathletic market.
 
Cannabis companies currently serving the athletic market include Offfield, which makes gummies, soft drinks, and other products that include THC.  Another is WannaFit, who makes products that are infused with THCv
 
Josiah Hesse, author of the book Runner’s High, dives deep into how both elite athletes and weekend warriors use Cannabis.  “The market for it is endless,” says Hesse.  “There’s no demographic that Cannabis doesn’t reach, young people, old people, all races, all political affiliations, all economic backgrounds.”
 
Dr. Ethan Russo agrees.  “Some uses of Cannabis in conjunction with exercise already have pretty strong scientific backing.  THC and CBD have pain killing and anti-inflammatory effects that can help following a workout.  However, the idea that Cannabis can help people during a workout is more nuanced.”  He recounts his own experience of skiing under the influence of Cannabis.  “Being able to key into the rhythm is a benefit,” says Russo.
 
I really like this idea of combining Cannabis and athletics.  I usually consult patients who are using Cannabis for chronic pain or other illness.  It’s refreshing to know Cannabis is also used for wellness activities like workouts.  Cannabis is not always about the party and we don’t have to wait and get sick before using Cannabis.  Using Cannabis for wellness is proactive. I also think the Cannabis industry should promote their own Cannabis athletic events. We could raise awareness for elite athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson, the sprinter who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics.  Athletic events are a good way to highlight the positive aspects of Cannabis use. 

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