Who the heck knows what Boxing Day is all about? When I think of Boxing Day, I think of fighting for the right to Cannabis. Yep, when I think about boxing, I think of cannabis. In 2004, when I first heard about the CB1 receptors in the brain, my first thought was about boxers.

When I think of Boxing Day, the word “day” takes on a whole big meaning. Friday nights in the 1950’s, sitting with my father in front of the new “black and white” watching the Greats; Friday Night at the Fights brought to us by Gillette Cavalcade of Sports. Now, when I think of boxing I think about all the head shots a boxer takes on his/her journey through the ranks.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are common. In a match, Boxers take 12 rounds of hits aimed at their heads. Who isn’t looking for the perfect knock out? “Being hit by a boxer’s fist is like being hit by a 13-pound bowling ball traveling at 20 MPH, 52 times the force of gravity,” according to AANS.org.

Football players are known for sustaining brain injuries and our soldiers are regularly exposed to injuries that include TBI. But, even a simple car accident can cause enough damage to be a TBI. A little research shows bicycling to be the number one cause of TBI. In short, a TBI can happen to anyone. TBI is serious and may be debilitating.

Most people don’t know that traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of death in young people according to the National Institute for Health.

I fight for cannabis. I fight for cannabis for everyone because I’ve learned all the benefits of the whole plant. I have always said I want drug companies to be able to make safe medicines that are approved by the FDA. I just want the whole plant for my own uses and everyone else’s.

Cannabis is used in the treatment of TBI in Israel. They have learned that by administering a cannabis-based medicine they are able to reduce the swelling in the brain after an accident. According to Dr. Raphael Mechoulam of Hebrew University, while cannabis may not heal the brain 100% after an injury, it will work 100% of the time. Cannabis does make a difference and it should already be in use.

So, Boxing Day is about different things depending on who you ask. Some say it is a time to box up the Christmas tree, others say box up the unwanted gifts. Traditionally, it was a day off for the servant class. Employers gave gift boxes to be taken home and shared with families.

Whatever you celebrated this year and whatever Boxing Day means to you, I’d like you to join me in supporting Florida Cannabis Action Network. We are asking those who have benefited the most from cannabis to Pay-It-Forward by supporting our efforts in 2020 and beyond.
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