July 7, 2026

E180 - The NFL’s Cannabis Study - Dr. Patrick Neary - Part 1

E180 - The NFL’s Cannabis Study - Dr. Patrick Neary - Part 1
E180 - The NFL’s Cannabis Study - Dr. Patrick Neary - Part 1
Reefer MEDness
E180 - The NFL’s Cannabis Study - Dr. Patrick Neary - Part 1
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Can cannabinoids change the future of concussion care in contact sports?

Kirk follows up with Dr. Patrick Neary, PhD, from the University of Regina, to see how his NFL-funded research into CBD, concussions, pain management, and athlete health is going now that the study has moved from planning to execution. Recorded on 4/20, let's dive in: can CBD help reduce concussion risk, support brain recovery, and offer athletes an alternative to opioids?

Dr. Neary explains the first phase of his research: a CBD dose-escalation safety study in athletes, including very high daily doses, brain blood-flow testing, cardiovascular monitoring, pharmacokinetics, biomarkers, and side-effect tracking. The episode also previews two related studies: a double-blind placebo-controlled concussion study and an upcoming pain study comparing THC, CBD, full-spectrum cannabinoids, and placebo.

Listen now to learn how a multidisciplinary Canadian research team is studying cannabis, neuroprotection, inflammation, chronic pain, and the future of sports medicine.