I have been waiting for many weeks for today to get here, ever since I heard that there would be an ArcView Group event in Portland. I got especially excited when I heard that there would be a big sports cannabis presence at the event. ArcView has never put on an event in Oregon (my home state) and since they are the premier investment organization in the cannabis space, I think it’s safe to say that an event here is overdue. Oregon is home to the best cannabis community on the planet in my opinion, and I’ve traveled to quite a few places and consumed more than my fair share of cannabis.
If you read this blog frequently, then you know that I’m very excited about the sports cannabis movement. There has long been a perception that cannabis and an active lifestyle don’t mix, and that all cannabis consumers are lazy. That’s obviously not the case. Some of the most athletic humans in history have been avid cannabis consumers. And for every elite athlete, there’s a small army of amateur athletes like myself (using the term athlete loosely, although I’ll hoop you up, don’t sleep on me!). There are a lot of active people that consume cannabis for various reasons, and find that it enhances their active lifestyles.
That’s something that people need to know about. People need to know that cannabis and sports can be a natural fit for many people. Minds will be changed, and athletes will get the wellness benefits from cannabis that they deserve. I know a lot of people that played sports at one level or another in their lives, got hurt, and have been battling pain (and often addiction to pharmaceuticals) ever since. A lot of them won’t even consider cannabis because all of their coaches growing up told them that cannabis was bad, no ifs, ands, or buts. I expect that to change as the sports cannabis movement continues to change perceptions of what it means to be a cannabis consumer.
Sports cannabis took center stage at the ArcView event in Portland, Oregon today. I had a media pass to the event, but alas, I had to work. But that didn’t stop me from following the event on social media and pester-texting people at the event that were there. Everything I heard was very positive. It was awesome to see not only the sports community come out and support the cannabis community, but likewise to see the cannabis community rally around the sports cannabis movement. Below are some tweets I saw about the event:
@stevedeangelo “cannabis in just about every athletic category, tragic for players unfairly treated” #arcviewpdx pic.twitter.com/VvJUTNaDT7
— Pamela Johnston (@PJPamela) May 2, 2016
@stevedeangelo “cannabis may be the most effective sports medicine in the world” #ArcViewPDX
— Matt Anderson (@I_am_MTA) May 2, 2016
Props to NBA all-star Cliff Robinson for the courage to bring #cannabis to sports! //@UncleCliffy30 #ArcViewPDX pic.twitter.com/OAIDaSbl7e
— Nick LaFond (@thinkB1G) May 2, 2016
Former Heisman Trophy Winner Ricky Williams was present, as was current Baltimore Ravens player Eugene Monroe, in addition to former NBA All Star Cliff Robinson (as seen on stage with ArcView CEO Troy Dayton and ArcView Co-Founder Steve DeAngelo):
Big props to @Rickthelaureate @MrEugeneMonroe & @UncleCliffy30! #Cannabis can indeed help #athletes! #arcviewpdx pic.twitter.com/eVYn9yVuLO
— Canna Advisors (@cannaadvisors) May 2, 2016
Cliff Robinson was presenting on behalf of his cannabis company, Uncle Spliffy, which is something that I have reported on a lot lately. Uncle Spliffy is going to be an ambassador brand for the sports cannabis movement, and will eventually have products in every locker room in America, both professional and amateur. There will be a lot of work to be done in between, for sure, but that’s why I support Uncle Spliffy and the sports cannabis movement. As an activist, I am excited to work alongside them in trying to reform cannabis laws.
Super cool to welcome @UncleSpliffyInc to the #cannabis industry today! #ArcViewPDX #legend pic.twitter.com/O0sliYasDT
— Patrick Rea (@patrickrea) May 2, 2016
I received some follows and messages from sports media outlets, and current and former professional athletes recently. I can tell that there’s a ton of interest from the sports community about cannabis, and how it can help athletes. I encourage them to reach out to the Uncle Spliffy team, the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition, and the people behind the 420 Games. They are there to welcome you and need your support in return. The sports cannabis movement is gaining momentum, and sooner than later there will be significant cannabis reform in sports, it just takes more people and voices joining the movement!
