In Lauren Jackson’s mind, there’s magic in medicinal cannabis.
The Australian basketball legend has given a nod to the drug, and whacked the stigma surrounding medicinal cannabis, ahead of the WNBL clash between her Southside Flyers and the Sydney Flames in Melbourne on Saturday night.
The first-ever WNBL game hosted by John Cain Arena has been dedicated as a celebration to the sparkling career of Jackson, who made an incredible comeback last year.
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At the age of 41, the powerhouse basketballer lifted the Opals to bronze at the Women’s FIBA World Cup.
She had retired in 2016 and hadn’t worn Opals colours since 2013, but she racked up 30 points to lead Australia to a comfortable win over Canada in the bronze-medal match.
Being granted a therapeutic-use exemption to use cannabis for medicinal reasons late last year has played a crucial role in her management of injuries.
“Without my TUE I wouldn’t be able to do what I love today,” Jackson said.
“The road to recovery with medicinal cannabis has absolutely been emotional but it’s also been the best journey.
“Medicinal cannabis has allowed me to recover quicker from training sessions and really helped contribute to me being able to train daily.
“My medicinal cannabis prescription is being used alongside other treatments due to a foot injury sustained on the court during a game in December.”
It’s not something as minor as joint pain that Jackson is battling; she’s lugging around her 196cm, 85kg frame on a broken foot.
She’s been instrumental to the Flyers’ surge to the top of the WNBL table and hopes to continue thriving in the finals series, set to begin on March 8.
“My body responded well to my treatment course, both on and off the court, and I’m forever grateful I can continue playing the sport I love and can chase after my children,” Jackson added.
“Medicinal cannabis needs to be talked about more frequently and I definitely still think it does have a prominent stigma, particularly in sport … I do think Australia is on the right pathway to becoming more accepting.
“In 2023, I would love to see more research and education in the wider community on ways medicinal cannabis may potentially help athletes suffering from long-term injuries and chronic pain, which can only help further break down the stigma.”
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