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International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health Partners With Athletes for CARE Inc.
New York – October 31, 2018 /AxisWire/ Today, two nationally recognized groups announced a partnership to study the impact of cannabis on professional athletes. The two organizations are the International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health (IRCCMH) and Athletes for CARE Inc.
The IRCCMH is a grant funded research center based in New York, that focuses on providing education and research on cannabis and mental health. Athletes for CARE is a Colorado based organization founded by former professional athletes united as one voice to advocate for research, education, and compassion when addressing important health issues facing athletes and the public.
“We are happy for this area of research to move forward with Athletes for CARE and its partners. The results from these studies could help inform policies, and address gaps in our understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics that could explain the mechanism between cannabis and its effect on the prescription drug epidemic,” said Dr. Jahan Marcu, Co-founder of IRCCMH, Director of Experimental Pharmacology and Behavioral Research.
IRCCMH will work with Athletes for CARE and its partners to conduct surveys of former and potentially current professional athletes, focusing on analyzing the role that cannabis plays in wellbeing of professional athletes. “So much research has been done of the pathological use of cannabis that we’ve neglected to study how the therapeutic use of cannabis can positively impact people’s lives. Through our alliance, we have an opportunity to provide important data based on professional athletes’ experiences,” said Jan Roberts, LCSW, Co-founder of IRCCMH and Director of Translational Research.
“This is an exciting opportunity for everyone involved in the project. And the results have the potential to impact policy, change lives, and provide education for mental health professionals,” said Lindy Snider, a Co-founder and Chair of the Board of Director for Athletes for CARE. “The athletes in our organization each have the right and desire to understand how the use of this plant for medicinal application and therapeutic use can improve their lives as well as the lives of every patient or athlete.”
The preliminary data will assess cannabis’ impact on mood, prescription drug use, cognitive functioning, pain relief, recovering from injuries, and relational impact. Both IRCCMH and Athletes for CARE will assist with the recruiting of former and current athletes.
“It is imperative we leverage scientific research to understand options to make sports healthier and safer for athletes of all ages,” said Anna Valent, executive director, Athletes for CARE. “We believe this is an important step and Athletes for CARE is honored to partner with IRCCMH on this project.”
About International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health (IRCCMH)
IRCCMH is a research, education, and consulting institute located in New York City that is focused on cannabis and its impact on mental health. IRCCMH is a grant-funded organization that partners with researchers worldwide on both translational and experimental pharmacological studies. IRCCMH serves as an educator and consultant to state governments, universities, clinicians, labs, and consumers. Its focus is to provide objective research on cannabis and its therapeutic use by bridging the gap between the lab and the patient.
About Athletes for CARE
Athletes for CARE (A4C) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a community where athletes can find support, opportunity, and purpose in life after a career in sports. A4C was founded by a group of pro athletes who are uniting as one voice to advocate for research, education, and compassion when addressing critical health issues facing athletes and the public at large.
Contact:
Jan Roberts
Email: jroberts@IRCCMH.org
Website: www.IRCCMH.org
