Drug Abuse in Athletes: The Need for Weed Essay

When it comes to the drug abuse drawing board, marijuana is boldly assigned an illegal red crossed stamp, and this has for long been the acceptable idea. The American foods and drugs act, the world anti-doping agencies, and practically any institution that holds the human health and welfare at its core. To the athletes, they a constant reminder that their bodies are a temple and not a cremation urn is focused on ensuring that no time should smoke ooze out of them. However, as absurd as it may sound, research has strongly identified medicinal, not to mention recreational benefits of marijuana, especially to physically active individuals and athletes. The need for weed is progressing, and some 28 states have legalized the use of cannabinoids as opposed to opioids and other prescription painkillers (Lee, p.3). Guess now, when you see smoke from the athlete's temples, it only means there is a new pope in town.

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A deviation from the traditional pot smoking to the edibles as in pot-baked cookies and infused chocolate bars, present the first-hand tangible evidence of the transformation on its use, or rather abuse, is undergoing. Athletes are susceptible to sustaining injuries, concussions, muscle cramping and fatigue, and usually, they are provided with prescription pills to counter these challenges. Many of these painkillers are opioids, and the athletes at first take them for pain, but with time they misuse them just so to feel ecstatic and relaxed. In research recently conducted, an estimate of 52% professional football players helplessly depend on opioids for physical and psychological reasons while about 67% of bodybuilders use steroids (Weiner, p.5). It is therefore not safe to qualify the use of opioids as the most convenient mode of dealing with pain and injuries. The world anti-doping agency clearly outlines the total ban on steroids as they enhance the performance of an athlete making them compete favorably compared to their completion. However, the opioids have faced very limited oppositions, and many teams and organizations recommend them to their players and athletes, overlooking the impending danger of their misuse.

Cannabis is said to relieve pain, clear and focus the mind and possess no inflammation effects to the users. These characteristics make it more of a remedy and less of a hazard, but the site of a joint in an athlete's hand or mouth can attract immense and career-ending repercussions. A decade ago, it was equally a taboo as spitting on a grave or whatever worse staff you can think of, to smoke bhang and a suicidal attempt to proudly brag about it. The stereotype behind this was firmly attached to its health effects leave alone the addiction aftermath that no one could quickly get off. Athletes are on the contrary coming out of the pot-locked closets and admit to using the joints and the cookies or chocolates and the big 'thank you' their muscles and bones have attested (Lee, p.5). The creation of cannabinoids, CBDs, through technology, innovation and creativity have revolutionized the use of marijuana, medically. The application of the CBD on a worn out muscle and torn tissue comes along with quite soothing, non-inflammatory and instant relief of pain and discomfort.

Bodybuilding or simple workouts are activities, professional, recreational or medicinal, aimed at body toning, losing calories or a hang out with friends. A pot smoking ritual is often tied to these activities in the gym or other recreational facilities. The smoking bit is the most pleasurable of all, well, mainly because bodybuilding is quite hectic (Weiner, p.5). To burn a muscle (or calorie) you'd better smoke a joint too. A three-hour work out can wear someone out, mentally and physically. Marijuana boosts the mental focus and stamina and therefore, work out with an infused chocolate bar in hand can help one burn more than five times the calories the chocolate has. They owe it all to the psychoactive aspect of this magic plant that maintains their subconscious mind within the flow. Just like the open pot-locked closet, the application of marijuana as an athletic ritual gets out of the indoor workouts to the outdoor activities like skiing and unlocks the full potential of the mind to explore the sport-inked world boldly and with maximum focus.

A step out of the gyms and skiing boards and we find ourselves in the operating rooms, emergency rooms, and prescription tables. It might so hard to believe and even harder to accept that at some point in life, not so far from now, we will be receiving prescriptions like 'take a joint twice in twelve hours and call me.' Well, not literary that obvious, but the medicinal characteristics of marijuana are finding a way into the medical systems. From the anti-inflammatory traits to pain relieving, one might think we are describing some sought of antibiotic. The CBD, possess these essential medicinal characteristics and once we are past the stereotype of bhang being illegal and harmful, it might transform the medical systems. Cannabinoids possess anti-inflammatory characteristics as well as the potential to reduce insomnia, anxiety and multiple sclerosis symptoms (Lee, p.5). The most breakthrough to its research though was that it is capable of pinning down the epileptic seizures in young children. These seizures are the number one causes of epileptic deaths, and by controlling the seizures, the child is guaranteed of life. However, even to the states that have legalized marijuana, the age limit is at 21 years, and a child cannot, therefore, be saved unless the laws are slightly bent to give CBD a shot.

The outlined health beneficial factors make us feel that marijuana is worth a try, but before we act on this impulsive move, we owe it to our health that we know exactly what we are getting ourselves into. Bhang, as many articles and blogs state, has health implications to their smokers or eaters. The impairment or loss of short-term memories, elevated muscle fatigue, decelerated alertness and risks of a heart attack are all tied to the use of marijuana (Reardon and Creado, p.100). Addiction is the long-term consequence of their use, making the consumer entirely dependent on them. The lung health of the consumer heavily relies on the mode of consumption. Pot smokers are at high risk of getting lung disorders, just like chain cigarette smokers, as compared to those who ingest marijuana through the infused cookies or chocolate bars.

Conclusion

Like many two-sided arguments, for lack of a better word, the marijuana consumer need to draw a pros and cons list to decide on whether to consume it going with its health benefits or to shy away from it based on the health effects. As for the athletes in different sporting fields, their teams or institutions should grant them the choice between the opioid pain relievers or the cannabinoids. Many people view the over the counter drugs as the safest, but the oxycontin, for instance, possess similar addiction potential as bhang. There is no specific advantage we can draw from the use of opioids rather than marijuana except the legal acceptability of the former. The need for weed is genuine and logical.

Works cited

Lee Chris (2017). Men's fitness: Marijuana Can Relieve Pain and Improve Athletic Recovery. So Why Isn't It Legal in Sports? American media Inc. Pp. 1-6.

Reardon, C. L., & Creado, S. (2014). Drug abuse in athletes. Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 5, 95-105.

Weiner, Natalie (2017). Can weed make you a better athlete? Bleacher report. P. 5