Rugby players are subject to a litany of injuries and many players suffer from shortened careers due to a build-up of pain and injury. With chronic pain and serious risk to bodily harm, rugby players have to be on their toes about taking care of their body. One way in which rugby players are looking to protect their body against the harsh reality of the sport is cannabis oils and other CBD products.
The promise of CBD products in athletics is enormous, and in the United Kingdom, CBD products are already legal. Unlike other cannabis products, CBD does not include THC which gets the user high. Therefore, the World Health Organization says CBD causes no harm and does not have the same abuse risks as other pain relievers. In fact, CBD products can even be used to treat addiction in some cases.
Most promising for rugby players was the World Anti-Doping Authority's decision to remove CBD from its banned substance list in early 2018. WADA governs rugby, so British rugby players have since been regularly using CBD products.
England international George Kruis has even started a CBD business along with his teammate Dominic Day. Kruis and Day have been experimenting with different CBD products in order to recover after rugby training and games.
Particularly important to Kruis and Day is that they have been able to reduce the number of prescription pills they are taking. Popping pills can be a destructive route for many athletes who can develop a dependency or even an addiction to pain medication. The prominent players move has also inspired other rugby players to use cannabis oil products in order to take care of their body.
The progress of CBD in British sports is in stark contrast to America. All major American sports leagues ban cannabis, so American athletes cannot use CBD products without risking a ban from their league. However, multiple former athletes have come out in support of CBD's use to help players recover from a multitude of injuries and ailments.
However, British rugby players do not have to worry about similar limitations. Due to CBD's legal status in the UK and WADA's decision to remove it from the list of banned substances, multiple British rugby unions and associations have come out in support of their players using the substance. Players will still have to be cautious about what cannabis products they take as some are still on the banned substance list.
Rugby will continue to be a hard-hitting sport, and the nature of the game means players will combat injuries as long as the sport is played. But, rugby as a sport has shown more acceptance to allow their players to seek a wider array of treatment in order to ensure that players can live a healthier and more successful life. If players can stay healthier during their playing days then they should be able to live longer when they choose to take a step back from the game.
George Kruis and Dominic Day may soon be rewarded for their ambition and early adoption of CBD products. If trends continue, it is only a matter of time before rugby players use them all over the world.
