The Ultramarathoner Who Consumes Cannabis to Fight the Stigma Surrounding the Plant

Our beloved cannabis plant has always been saddled with numerous stigmas. It consumers, and those who struggle every day to alter the landscape surrounding it, have been burdened by these myths too. Maybe one that leaps to mind is the laziness associated with regular cannabis smokers. What many do not realise is that, depending on the variety of grass, its effects vary, producing calm or euphoria.

Avery Collins is one of those people who wants to dispel the myth of lethargy that many smokers are forced to face. He is now working hard to show that productivity is possible, through running. What he is suggesting is very interesting: people can find new forms of satisfaction by combining smoking and exercise.

Collins is an ultramarathoner who spends most of his time competing in events ranging from 80 to 160 kilometres. He explains that these challenges are not easy; it took him three years to go from running in his neighbourhood to enrolling in his first official marathons. He started running after they closed his gym, just to stay in shape, and it was not until a year later, after competing in official races, that he decided to experiment with cannabis.

"I moved to North Carolina, where I moved in with a good friend. At that time I was training a lot for an ultramarathon”, he says. One night he was sitting on the couch when his friend asked him something that would ignite a new passion: "Have you ever thought about smoking before a race?" Although it had never even occurred to him, he was intrigued by the idea and decided to give it a try the next day. "I just remember that it was very nice. I woke up spiritually, and had a great sense of everything around me. "

Now, with great success in the world of marathons, he recognises that he is even more successful thanks to the consumption of cannabis and other compounds. In the last two years has won 10 major races. He wants his example to help debunk the stigma associated with the cannabis industry, and has even created a "crowdfunding" campaign dubbed "Changing the Stigma."

For this to work, he says, he has to demonstrate that he is both a great athlete and a big consumer of grass. Now he wants to tour the US, visiting dispensaries to delve further into the field and prove that it is possible to use the plant on a regular basis and be a successful athlete in what is a very demanding sport.