Are professional athletes getting buff by using marijuana? How does cannabis fit into a fitness routine?
The Women’s Olympic 100-meter dash is scheduled to air tonight, July 29th at 8PM. With the United States’ fastest Women’s 100-meter runner disqualified from competition due to her use of marijuana when she was desperate to cope with the news of her biological mother’s death, we thought this might be the perfect time to clarify a few things about our favorite plant.
First of all, marijuana is not a performance enhancing drug, and no one seems to know precisely why the World Anti-Doping Agency is keeping it on its list of banned substances. We’ll get to more on that later.
How to Get Cannabis To Your Fitness Routine
You can, however, use marijuana to support your fitness routine. Many major sports establishments in the United States have come to terms with the fact that it is the preferred choice for pain relief and recovery support among their athletes, and Virginia residents who are qualified to use medical marijuana have an opportunity to find out for themselves why.
You can’t legally purchase adult-use marijuana in Virginia until 2024, and simply being an athlete isn’t quite enough to get you a medical card. However, the list of qualifying conditions is longer than you might expect, and it includes anxiety, chronic pain, and any other condition a doctor believes would improve with the use of cannabis.
If you would like to have the opportunity to shop at Virginia’s licensed cannabis dispensaries before the adult-use program is in full swing, give Virginia Marijuana Card a call at (888) 633-5808, or schedule an appointment to talk with one of our health professionals about medical marijuana today!
Why Are Olympic Athletes Banned From Using Marijuana?
The World Anti-Doping Agency bans substances from use among athletes competing in its regulated events when they meet two the these three criteria:
The substance enhances performance
The substance is harmful to the user’s health
The substance violated the “spirit of the sport”
The thing is, WADA does not specify which of these principles marijuana violates. Marijuana has been recognized almost universally for its medicinal properties, it has been legalized in some form in the majority of US states, and major sports establishments are looking into its use as a replacement for opioids.
Because of this, some people have deduced that marijuana must be a performance-enhancing substance.
We would love to tell our readers that using cannabis is a natural way to become a better athlete and get buff without all the work that goes into dedicated training, but it simply isn’t true. However, marijuana can support your wellness and state of mind while you do all that training (or spin the dust off your Peleton after a year of Netflix and Ben & Jerry’s).
Use Medical Marijuana for Faster Recovery
One of the most important ways that medical marijuana supports athletes (and regular people) while they train, is by reducing the amount of time you need to rest in between workout sessions. It increases pain tolerance, so you can get back on the treadmill faster and push through that extra set of reps more often.
Medical Marijuana Supports Better Sleep
You need good sleep in order to be your best physically and mentally. And you need to be your best physically and mentally in order to get the most out of your workouts. Sleep is so important to your fitness routine that some experts suggest that you skip your workout after a poor night’s sleep.
Medical marijuana supports better sleep by relaxing your body and mind, and reducing pain and inflammation. Strains and products that are higher in CBD are a favorite to take on your way to a blissful night’s sleep.
Get Better Focus With Cannabis
Anxiety is on Virginia’s list of conditions that qualify for treatment with cannabis, because it can help you feel calm, relaxed, and focused. These are essential states for athletes to be in when they want to get the most out of their training sessions.
Reduced anxiety while exercising helps protect against injuries and strains, and gives you a chance to get in the zone to concentrate on achieving your fitness goals.
Why Do We Specify “Medical” Marijuana?
There are definite differences between the kind of products you can find at Virginia medical marijuana dispensaries versus what’s on the illicit market. And until dispensaries are licensed to sell adult-use products, these are your only legal options for obtaining marijuana unless you grow your own cannabis plants.
When you purchase medical marijuana in Virginia, you know what you are getting. Products are tightly regulated and accurately labeled, so you have the opportunity to tailor your routine to be precisely what you want it to be.
Get Legal Access to Medical Marijuana By Getting a Virginia Marijuana Card
A Virginia marijuana card gives you access to products at any Virginia dispensary. There, you can find tinctures, vape products, edibles, and even topicals for your post-workout massage. Three out of the four producers in the state offer home delivery, and they all cover a pretty wide geographic area. So almost everyone in Virginia lives in a cannabis delivery zone.
To learn more about getting a medical marijuana card, check out our How to Qualify page, call us at (888) 633-5808, or schedule an appointment with one of our cannabis healthcare professionals today!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Virginia Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to MMJ. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (888) 633-5808, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Virginia Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Virginia!