Morgan Freeman has a permanent home in the hearts of many; as celebrity-grandfather figure and always a voice of reason. His recognizable voice, narrating some of our favorite films, now is increasingly used for advocacy. Whether in National Geographic's recent production, The Story of God, where Freeman weaves a human connection across all cultural differences, or through his narration of March of the Penguins, subtly reminding us about the need for environmental protection.
What many didn’t realize is that Freeman now is using his voice to fight for cannabis legalization. That's correct, Freeman had pushed for medical marijuana legislation, and arguably way before it was a popular social movement. His advocacy for cannabis use has helped normalize the conversation.
After all, if someone like Morgan Freeman, an actor who often plays the role of God in films (Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty), uses cannabis as alternative medicine, it begs the question, how bad it could be? Morgan Freeman portrays the epitome of reason, both on screen and off. Surely his views on legalization are worth exploring. If someone like Freeman can rely on cannabinoids for easing chronic pain, even the harshest critics could start questioning their opinions.
Morgan Freeman: A Long-Standing Advocate for Cannabis
Based on his more recent interviews on the subject, we safely can assume that Freeman has been using cannabis, at least recreationally, since Woodstock. It seems as if the plant’s potential medicinal applications were suggested to him only in 2008, though, after a severe motor vehicle accident.
According to the news reports, the accident was horrific, and his vehicle rolled several times. Paramedics had to use the Jaws of Life to remove Freeman from the vehicle. The accident virtually destroyed his left shoulder, elbow, and arm. Although physicians did their best to reconstruct the arm through extensive surgery, the nerve damage never was completely repaired.
Since the accident, Freeman often is seen wearing a compression glove to prevent blood from pooling. He has discussed his pain at length in interviews. It was because of this continuing pain that he finally turned to medicinal cannabis. Like many people his age (80 years young), it seems as if Freeman never considered cannabis as a treatment option until he so desperately needed it. Now, it's something he can’t live without.
What Cannabinoids Like CBD Can Do for Chronic Pain
According to Freeman, “I have fibromyalgia pain in this arm, and the only thing that offers any relief is marijuana.” While he never specified what strain or cannabinoid he prefers, there is significant research about CBD’s effectiveness in treating chronic pain. It is possible Morgan Freeman uses CBD for pain, perhaps alongside other cannabinoids, to take full advantage of the Entourage Effect.
RELATED: Understanding the Entourage Effect of Cannabinoids
By naturally mimicking our endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids such as CBD stimulate, inhibit, and regulate endocannabinoid receptor activity. Cannabinoids inhibit painful sensations in the central nervous system. THC and CBD in particular quiet the sensory neurons, closing down their lines of communication.
RELATED: CBD Vs. THC: Which One Is Better for Pain?
While other cannabinoids bind directly to an endocannabinoid receptor, CBD prefers to have a more indirect effect on their activation. Of particular interest is how CBD may be beneficial for neuropathic pain, inflammatory pain, and other difficult to treat types of pain. As a matter of fact, cannabinoids have opened up an entirely new way of thinking about pain.
What Does the Research Show?
In many countries around the world, cannabinoids are already approved for chronic pain, although they are unfortunately sold under Big Pharma labels. If we place our concerns with Big Pharma aside for one moment, there is much to be learned from the use of cannabinoids on such a large scale, especially for the use in cases of difficult to treat pain.
One study from 2012 demonstrated that in low to medium doses, a mixture of THC:CBD was able to reduce cancer-related pain in the majority of study participants. Another study compared this same ratio to a placebo in 125 patients experiencing neuropathic pain. Again, the majority experienced significant improvement from the cannabinoid mixture when compared to the placebo.
Other studies have started branching out from applications for chronic pain. So far, positive preliminary results are showing cannabinoids may be useful in treating sleep disturbances, arthritis, bladder dysfunction, and maybe even spinal cord injuries. As any CBD advocate will tell you, CBD has many more benefits than simple pain relief. It’s just a matter of time before the science catches up with the real-life experiences of people already using it.
The Future of CBD and Cannabis Advocacy
The medical use of CBD (and other cannabinoids) by celebrities such as Morgan Freeman is nothing new. Many other famous faces are known to use cannabis and CBD for the treatment of many different illnesses and diseases. Michael J. Fox uses marijuana to combat the long-term degenerative effects of Parkinson's. Nate Diaz, the UFC fighter, conducted a famous interview smoking CBD oil from a vape pen after a fight because it helped relieve his pain. Social influencer Dan Bilzerian recently has begun advocating for CBD oil, and Whoopi Goldberg has her own medicinal marijuana company. The list is growing on a daily basis.
As more and more recognizable and credible people publicly discuss their therapeutic use of CBD, it's only a matter of time before the remaining legal hurdles fall. Yes, CBD products are legal throughout the United States, but it still remains a regulatory quagmire to study. Rigorous clinical research is the final step to proving, once and for all, what we've known all along: cannabidiol is safe to use, and an extremely effective alternative treatment option.
RELATED: How Good is CBD at Pain Management.
Sources:
https://www.solcbd.com/blogs/news/cbd-vs-thc-which-for-pain
https://www.solcbd.com/blogs/news/117245637-how-good-is-cbd-at-pain-management
https://www.thedailybeast.com/morgan-freeman-shoots-straight-on-legalizing-marijuana-and-his-escape-from-new-york
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430692/
https://www.leafscience.com/2017/11/02/what-is-sativex-nabiximols/
