By Jeff Konin

The inaugural Cannabis in Sports Conference took place in Orlando at the Rosen Hotel on July 29-31, 2022, and did not disappoint! Attendees were treated to contemporary knowledge of how cannabis use, perceptions, and science are impacting the sports world from professionals to amateurs. This 3-day event was filled with networking and personal access to some of the national leaders in the sports cannabis industry.

Without a doubt some of the highlights included hearing the personal stories of professional and Olympic athletes. Kaitlyn Verfuerth, a 4-time Paralympian who has competed in Tokyo (2020), Rio (2016), Beijing (2008), and Athens (2004) shared very candidly her experiences with using cannabis and how it helped her manage her focus and injuries associated with playing wheelchair tennis at the highest level in the world.

Jeff Konin with Kaitlyn Verfuert

Mike James was another highlight of the weekend. James, a former running back in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions, is known in the cannabis industry for filing the first therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to be allowed to use cannabis for the treatment of his ongoing injuries. James told the audience about how cannabis helped him overcome an addiction to the opioid painkiller medications that he was prescribed for his severe ankle injury.

One of the conference’s main goals was to share the latest science and research surrounding the benefits and risks associated with cannabis intervention. Panelists such as Dr. Derrick DeSilva, Dr. Paul Borsa, Dr. Jim Farris, Dr. Anthony Ferrari, and Dr. Michael Suk shed light on the trials and tribulations of cannabis research in the athletic population and how the healthcare professionals are challenged with implementing forms of cannabis as a treatment intervention given the lack of regulated and controlled studies that are comprised of sound scientific methodology and that meet the established rigor of research that is necessary to safely reports outcomes.

Many other presentations were delivered to introduce the audience to fascinating topics such as How Medical Cannabis May Revolutionize Western Medicine (Dr. Martha Rosenthal), Policies of Sports Leagues (Amanda Barton), What Athletes Want to Know (Dr. Kevin Morley), Cannabis and Concussion (Dr. Jeff Konin), Pearls from Clinical Practice (Dr. Barry Gordon), The Priority of Future Research (Dr. Denise Vidot), Mechanisms of Major Terpenes and Cannabinoids in Sports Medicine (Dr. Terel Newton), Collective Bargaining Agreements (Michael Minardi), Current Trends in Drug Testing (Dr. Mindy Shelby), and Collegiate Sports Considerations (Steve Walz).

Another special feature was the story shared by Josiah Hesse, author of the best-selling book “Runners High: How a Movement of Cannabis-Fueled Athletes is Changing the Science of Sport”. Josiah’s journey beginning as a non-athlete to his ultra-marathon running days and his investigative reporting of cannabis research was fascinating to learn about.

The conference was made possible by the many sponsors and exhibitors who generously shared their expertise and time with all of those who attended. Stay tuned for the 2023 version which is anticipated to be bigger and better!

Dr. Jeff G. Konin is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Athletic Training in the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Florida International University (FIU) where he directs the Global Initiative for Cannabinoid Research and Education. To learn more about FIU’s cannabinoid research and education initiative you can visit their website at https://go.fiu.edu/GlobalCannabis. Views represented in this column do not reflect that of Florida International University and are solely attributed to Dr. Jeff G. Konin.