Cannabis and sports: Up against outdated rules

While cannabis legalization in Canada and some states in the U.S. may have opened doors to additional research into the plant’s health benefits, one area where the move towards acceptance continues to face hurdles is within professional sports leagues—at least for now.

A growing number of professional athletes are coming forward as cannabis advocates, calling for reduced penalties—or none at all—for using the plant, and highlighting its benefits for pain relief compared to options like opioids.