Athletics and Fitness at the Cannabis Science Conference

Green House Healthy with Riley Cote and Joshua Crossney

The Cannabis Science Conference in Portland, OR, is the world’s largest and most technical cannabis science expo. This event marked their 4th year in Portland and the Green House Healthy team was happy to see an abundance of science and research regarding athletics and fitness. Green House Healthy Co Founders, Heather and Antonio DeRose, presented Cannabinoids for Fitness. The poster presentation explained the difference between endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids, how anandamide is responsible for the euphoric sensation known as a runner’s high, and listed some other cannabinoids that can be utilized for beginning and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.

Another poster presentation discussed how physically active people are advocating cannabis use for it’s potential in optimizing the immune response. Presented by Jonny Lisano PhD, this scientific research study conducted in joint with the University of Northern Colorado and Six Degrees Wellness, measured immune system response and chronic cannabis use in physically active individuals. The study’s findings suggest frequent use of cannabis products in people who are physically active do have a positive effect on the immune response by increasing monocytes per milliliter and percent of circulating intermediate monocytes.

Dr. Jeff Konin PhD, a Clinical Professor and Director of the Doctoral Athletic Training Program at Florida International University, presented Cannabis and Athletics: The Impact in 2020. Dr. Konin’s presentation focused on cannabis in sports leagues at the collegiate, professional, and olympic levels, discussing changes we’ve seen in relaxed regulations and insights to what the future of cannabis in sports looks like.

Dr. Sue Sisley did back to back presentations, first presenting War on Cannabis, Communities of Color in Sports, where she discussed the issues of racial disparity in professional sports leagues and our country. Following her presentation, she moderated the Athletes for Cannabis Panel, which featured several members of Athletes for Care, including Co-Founder and former NHL player Riley Cote, the NFL’s Marvin Washington, Clifford Robinson of the NBA, and rugby player Anna Symonds. Representing several professional sports leagues, all of the athletes had a unified message that all athletes deserve the option to chose medical cannabis over pharmaceuticals. It saves their bodies, their minds, and doesn’t come with the increased addiction rates of opioids.