By Daniel Casciato

As a two-time cancer survivor and stem cell transplant recipient, cannabis, CBD and plant-based wellness have played a critical role in legendary “Survivor” winner, Ethan Zohn’s physical and mental recovery.

In April, Zohn ran the 2022 Boston Marathon to celebrate 10 years of being cancer-free. A “Survivor: Africa” winner, former pro soccer player, and recent contestant on “Survivor 40: Winners At War,” he has been raising funds and awareness for AKTIV Against Cancer, a foundation whose mission is to make physical activity an integral part of cancer treatment.

At 35, the “Survivor” fan favorite (who is now 48) was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called CD 20+ Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In fact, he was diagnosed twice with CD20+ Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and endured years of aggressive treatment, including two stem cell transplants.

The recent Boston Marathon marked his 10th anniversary of being in remission. Zohn ran to help raise awareness for the health benefits of cannabis that he discovered after facing the harsh side effects of cancer treatments. With monitoring from a licensed medical doctor, he ran the marathon to raise awareness of the beneficial properties of medical cannabis.

“After my diagnosis with cancer, I had a tough experience with all the synthetic pills prescribed to me,” recalls Zohn. “It was a vicious cycle of taking a lot of pills on a daily basis. I was concerned with taking too many pills, so I was looking for some alternative ways help me feel better, such as cannabis.”

At the time, in 2009, there wasn’t much information about medical cannabis as well as few trained oncologists, nurse practitioners, and alternative therapists who were educated in cannabis and cancer. Zohn had to do a lot of research on his own. Access to medical cannabis was also limited. As a result, Zohn was forced to hit the streets of New York City in the search of cannabis.

“I was bald from the chemo and had my mask and gloves on talking to drug dealers,” he says. “Doing an illegal activity, on top of having cancer was a really stressful situation.”

Zohn later beat cancer a second time in 2012. But his cannabis use didn’t stop there. He became a strong advocate for medical marijuana. He experienced physical, mental, and emotional benefits when he incorporated cannabis into his daily wellness routine.

“I wanted to be able to help others out there and share my experience because cannabis helped me,” he says. “It helped me fall asleep at night and it helped me eat better. It also eased my pain and helped with my nausea. While I couldn’t eliminate all the synthetic pills by any means, it did help me reduce the frequency and dosage.”

When Zohn ran the Boston Marathon this past spring, he used Momenta, a line of cannabis wellness products from Trulieve, a cannabis company that he is now a partner with. Through this partnership, Zohn is the official ambassador of Momenta.

“As a brand ambassador, I’m excited because I get to share my story and help educate others on cannabis use,” he says. “It’s all about erasing stigma and little mini-increments of changing the perception on cannabis.”

Zohn, a new resident of Florida, where Trulieve is headquartered, will be documenting and sharing his holistic cannabis wellness journey and how he incorporates cannabis into his daily routine. The partnership includes local and national educational outreach, keynote speaking, philanthropic opportunities and social media collaborations. The former professional soccer player will also wear Momenta apparel during his future athletic endeavors.

One piece of advice that Zohn has for others who may be trying cannabis for the first time is to go “low and slow.”

“There also are many online resources that can help you,” he says. “I found a cannabis concierge who helped guide me and gave me an education on pretty much everything. No matter which state you are in, there are many people experienced in cannabis who can talk to you.”

For more information, visit www.ethanzohn.com and www.trulieve.com/brands/momenta.