Elias Theodorou continues to break down barriers.

Last year, he became the first athlete in Canada to secure a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for the use of medical cannabis in professional sport. He has now replicated that feat south of the border.

Theodorou’s U.S. TUE was granted in Colorado, which, along with Washington, became the first U.S. state to legalize recreational cannabis use in 2012.

The veteran MMA fighter uses cannabis to treat bilateral neuropathy, a condition that “feels like constant stingers and radiating heat.”

“Cannabis allows me to be more in tune with my body, medicate, and manage my pain — not just as an athlete, but the pain management helps me manage my condition as a human being,” Theodorou told The GrowthOp last year.

It took six years of advocacy and appeals for Theodorou to be granted his exemption in Canada, a decision that came from the British Columbia Athletic Commission (BCAC) in January 2020.

Theodorou put the exemption to use earlier this year, defeating Matt Dwyer at Rise Fighting Championship 6 in his first event as a ‘cannabis athlete.’

“As someone who has bilateral neuropathy, but not interested in consuming opioids, it is important to continuously advocate for the medicinal benefits of cannabis and our right as athletes to be able to utilize it,” Theodorou said in a news release announcing his U.S. exemption.

“If that means me securing my TUE state by state, country by country, then I will; I will do whatever it takes to fight the stigma, and advocate for all individuals.”

Attorney Erik Magraken, managing partner of MacIsaac & Company, said the decision could set a future precedent for pro-athletes who use medical cannabis.

“[Theodorou] has been fighting the stigma of cannabis in sport and cannabis as medicine for years and getting the first U.S. Athletic Commission to recognize his medical rights in granting a TUE is a huge leap forward that can assist many other athletes,” said Magraken.