August 8TH, 2014 – KannaLife Sciences, a company that develops “natural, phyto-medical products to 
be used in health and wellness regimens,” believes Cannabidiol (CBD) could help treat concussions and post-concussion symptoms. The Long Island-based company recently signed a license agreement with the National Institute of Health regarding “U.S. Patent 6,630,507, “Cannabinoids as Antioxidants and Neuroprotectants.”
The agreement allows KannaLife to develop and sell Cannabidiol and cannabinoid-based therapeutics for use as antioxidants and neuroprotectants/neuroprotectives, as FDA-approved drugs, in humans. Neuroprotection refers to the “relative preservation of neuronal structure and/or function” that ideally leads to a reduced rate of lost neurons over time. Neuroprotectives/neuroprotectants are used for patients suffering from central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.
KannaLife intends to use the cannabis derivative-based drugs to treat Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE frequently occurs in the brains of (American) football players, and, increasingly, in athletes in a number of other contact sports. Past studies have shown cannabis can effectively treat brain trauma, which is why the NFL will consider medical cannabis to treat its growing concussion epidemic.
According to the Sports Legacy Institute, repeated brain trauma (such as concussions) can cause CTE, which:
“triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last concussion or end of active athletic involvement. The brain degeneration is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, paranoia, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.”
At the moment, doctors and researchers can only definitively confirm CTE in post-mortem victims. Some are beginning to work on detecting the disorder in living subjects, however.
Dean Petkanas, the founder and CEO of KannaLife, believes the organization’s new patent can help the company aid the suffering of CTE patients. Petkana said, “[KannaLife] have committed [themselves] towards researching and developing cannabinoid based therapeutics that can provide for preventative, curative and quality of life improvement for patients suffering with rare forms of encephalopathy.”Patients are likely to include former athletes of contact sports, as well as soldiers who have suffered injuries from concussive blasts.
KannaLife’s efforts are not the first to consider cannabinoids for treatment of concussion and concussion-related symptoms. A Harvard professor has urged the NFL to begin research for treatment of concussions with marijuana. Other studies have suggested cannabinoid-based therapies can have “nerve-protective and brain-enhancing properties.”
Evidence continues to mount that marijuana may serve beneficial and therapeutic purposes for suffering patients. Pages of research suggest strong connections between cannabinoids and human brain receptors. What remains to be seen is how regulatory bodies (eg, the NFL and NHL) react to findings, and amend their constitutions to allow for marijuana or cannabinoid use among their athletes. The collegiate sports ranks are likely next.