While you hear the phrase “survivor,” what involves thoughts? Maybe it’s the reminiscence of a traumatic occasion you overcame or a hardship you endured. For some, “survivor” harkens to the truth tv collection of the identical title, by which contestants compete for a hefty money prize. For most cancers survivor and Survivor competitor Ethan Zohn, it’s a little bit of each.
In 2002, Zohn received $1,000,000 on the third season of CBS’ Survivor: Africa. It will be his first of three appearances on the collection. He additionally participated in a number of different nationwide tv exhibits, together with Concern Issue, PitchMen, and The Superb Race.
Whereas competing for the cameras, he was combating one other battle behind the scenes. Zohn was twice recognized with CD20+ Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He spent years present process therapy, together with two stem cell transplants.
To assist mitigate the signs of most cancers therapy, Zohn turned to hashish. He used the herb to deal with ache, nervousness, nausea, and support with sleep. Now 10 years most cancers free, he makes use of THC and CBD merchandise to recuperate from demanding exercises.
Hashish & Tech In the present day spoke with Zohn through videoconference to find what’s subsequent in his journey of overcoming. This interview has been edited for size and readability.
Hashish & Tech In the present day: “Survivor” appears to be an ongoing theme in your life, from the TV collection to your overcome most cancers. At what level in your journey have been you launched to hashish?
Ethan Zohn: Once I was 35 years outdated, I used to be recognized with a uncommon type of blood most cancers known as CD20+ Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I needed to undergo a number of rounds of chemotherapy, radiation. I needed to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Whereas I used to be within the shit, I struggled with a number of the unintended effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
I used to be taking a variety of prescribed drugs simply to get to mattress each night time. I used to be taking Ativan for nervousness, Percocet for ache, Lunesta for sleep, Wellbutrin for temper, after which [I would] get up within the morning and have to tear an Adderall simply to get sufficient vitality to go to the physician to get extra blood exams. So it’s this horrible, vicious, artificial life-style I used to be residing.
So, I seemed for alternative routes to make myself really feel higher. I knew about hashish, and I learn the advantages, principally nausea associated. I wished to attempt it as a result of it’s from the earth, proper? Nature is the world’s pharmacy. So I began utilizing hashish, however entry to it was disheartening.
C&T In the present day: How have been you in a position to supply your hashish?
EZ: Nobody at my hospital may inform me about it. No nurse, oncologist, social employee — they weren’t educated on hashish and most cancers, so I needed to analysis that myself. Then I used to be pressured to hit the streets of New York Metropolis, bald with chemo, masks, gloves, speaking to a drug vendor.
They offered all kinds of medicine, not simply hashish. I used to be fearful about high quality, mildew, pesticides, and what they have been fertilizing it with. And right here I’m placing this plant in my physique whereas doing criminal activity on high of a majorly disturbing scenario like most cancers… simply to make myself really feel higher.
As soon as I received into an honest routine, I by no means smoked it. The physician urged if I have been to make use of it to ingest it by a cookie or vaporizing, so I received into vaporizing. That is in 2009 earlier than vape oils and earlier than the business took off.
At that second, I used to be like, “I really feel so a lot better. I can sleep. I can eat. I’m much less confused, and I’m much more enjoyable to be round, that’s for certain.” My girlfriend on the time, my mother, and brothers stated I used to be lots nicer to be round. My temper was higher. Every part you examine resonated with me.
Most significantly, I may wean myself off a number of the meds I used to be taking and cut back a number of the dosages of others. That was my first entryway into hashish, utilizing it from a medical perspective, to mitigate the unintended effects of most cancers therapies.
C&T In the present day: How has your relationship with the plant developed since then?
EZ: The place I discovered probably the most success and probably the most profit was after most cancers … Put up-cancer when the physician stated, “All proper, Ethan. You’re in remission,” they despatched me again house. Everybody disappeared, and I received baggage stuffed with [prescribed] drugs. I used to be plagued with dump vehicles stuffed with uncertainty and invisible scars that wanted therapeutic.
I developed debilitating nervousness and concern to the purpose the place I used to be simply not residing a life I used to be pleased with. It was exhibiting itself in harmful methods. That’s once I received deep into CBD and hashish and a mixture of the 2 to assist handle my psychological well being points post-cancer. That’s the place I’m immediately. I’m in remission for 10 years now, and hashish is a part of my every day routine.
C&T In the present day: You are actually a model ambassador for Trulieve, one of many nation’s largest multi-state hashish operators. How did that relationship begin?
EZ: I wished to assist educate folks who’re in the same scenario to what I used to be going by, so I approached Trulieve with this concept — “Hey, what if I run the Boston Marathon whereas medicating on Trulieve merchandise?” And so they have been .
So once I engaged on this new partnership because the model ambassador for his or her in-house on a regular basis wellness model known as Momenta, it was virtually like my very own scientific trials.
I developed a routine the place I might do a pre-, during-, and post-workout hashish routine. I educated with that, analyzed the way it affected my physique, after which I may put the grasp plan into place once I really ran the Boston Marathon in April.
Put up race, I used to be utilizing a THC-infused ache cream and an indica capsule to assist calm me down a bit of bit. I did use it throughout the marathon, a low dose. I used the capsule once more as a result of I may run with it.
C&T In the present day: Did having completely different ingestion choices make it easier to create a more practical routine?
EZ: 100%. I imply, you nailed it. In the event you’re new to hashish, and also you’re on the lookout for a option to get in, I believe Momenta is a superb product as a result of [it offers] a complete host of ingestion strategies. They’ve tinctures, RSOs, capsules, ache lotions … for me, that encapsulated all the things I wanted in a hashish product.
Lots of people suppose they must smoke it, you don’t must smoke it. There are different unimaginable methods to get THC into your physique.
This text first appeared in Quantity 4 Difficulty 3 of Hashish & Tech In the present day. Learn the complete difficulty right here.
Photographs courtesy of CBS Broadcasting, Ethan Zohn, and Trulieve.
