Today's Marijuana Isn't Smoked in Joints, but With the Help of a Blowtorch.

Here’s what we learned about today's marijuana from our speakers at the Sport Exchange Summit last week:

YES, the traditional, herbal cannabis sativa and cannabis indica are botanical plants.

NO, many new users are not smoking herbal cannabis anymore—more on edibles and butane hash oil (BHO) later.

YES, recreational marijuana is legal in four states (Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska), and the District of Columbia.

NO, medical marijuana is not covered through medical exceptions or therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) in sport.

YES, there are some medicinal benefits from the cannabidiol (CBD) components of the flower.

NO, the CBD concentrations of marijuana are not increasing with rising THC potency.

Slide Courtesy of CeDAR speakers Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort, July 2016. 

Slide Courtesy of CeDAR speakers Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort, July 2016. 

YES, the THC (psychoactive element) concentration of marijuana is increasing exponentially.

NO, THC-laced edibles and drinks aren’t better or “healthier” forms of consumption.

YES, marijuana is being marketed blatantly to all generations, income levels, and demographics—even to children.

NO, marijuana is not “safer” than alcohol or other illicit drugs.

YES, 1 in 6 adolescents and 1 in 10 adults who try marijuana will become addicted to it.

NO, 420 is not as relevant as 710 in 2016.

Slide Courtesy of CeDAR speakers Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort, July 2016. 

YES, butane is used to strip the THC from marijuana plant material to create BHO concentrates.

NO, not all of the butane is removed before users light up a blow torch and take a “dab” hit to get high.

Slide Courtesy of CeDAR speakers Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort, July 2016. 

YES, BHO concentrates are up to 90% THC and deliver the equivalent of smoking 5 joints in just one dab hit. 

NO, marijuana and THC-containing edibles or oils are not regulated to ensure safety, efficacy, or truth in labeling.

Slide Courtesy of CeDAR speakers Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort, July 2016. 

YES, that means that one “serving” of an edible (10mg = legal dose) could be as small as the ear of a gummy bear—NOT the whole bear, or the full package of six gummy bears sold to the user.

NO, legalization hasn’t made marijuana less of a concern.

OH, and did we mention the significant (and irreversible) decline in IQ points seen in frequent users?

Colorado-based addiction practitioner and licensed psychologist, Dr. LaTisha Bader, and long-term recovered addict, Ben Cort, shocked and awakened attendees at the 2016 Sport Exchange Summit with their straight-forward and relevant presentation on marijuana.  Their message to all members of the “team behind the team”—including parents—was to “know your 2-minute talk.” Understand behavior change, know the perceptions surrounding use, know the consequences of use, and set expectations with athletes. Express your concern and engage in well-informed dialogue on the subject. 

Slide Courtesy of CeDAR speakers Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort, July 2016. 

For additional help and resources, we’ve provided some links below.

More Education on Marijuana: 

• The Drug Free Sport Speakers Bureau is scheduling education sessions for Fall 2016 and Spring 2017. To invite a speaker to your campus to discuss marijuana or other issues in sport, please contact our Education Program Manager, Anna Filardo, at afilardo@drugfreesport.com or 816-285-1429.

 

• Join Dr. LaTisha Bader and Ben Cort for their webinar "New Trends & Consequences of Marijuana Use Today"  hosted by Drug Free Sport. The live webinar will be on August 23, 2016, from 1-2pm Central Time. Click here to register. Space is limited to the first 100 registrants. 

Resource Links:

CeDAR/University of Colorado Hospital (Ascent Track)

Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana)

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)

Peer reviewed, Published Studies and Other Resources on Marijuana:

Hall, W. (2015), What has research over the past two decades revealed about the adverse health effects of recreational cannabis use?. Addiction, 110: 19–35. doi: 10.1111/add.12703

Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use, by Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Ruben D. Baler, Ph.D., Wilson M. Compton, M.D., and Susan R.B. Weiss, Ph.D., published online June 4, 2014 in The New England Journal of Medicine

Marta Di Forti, Arianna Marconi, Elena Carra, Sara Fraietta, Antonella Trotta, Matteo Bonomo, et al. Proportion of patients in south London with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study. The Lancet Psychiatry, Vol. 2, No. 3, p233–238. Published online: February 16, 2015

Rocky Mountain HIDTA Volume 2/August 2014 Report, “The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact.”

Marijuana Legalization in Colorado: Early Findings. March 2016.  Produced by the Colorado Department of Public Safety.