Meet Ethan Zohn at SHC Fall Fest!

Ethan Zohn wears many hats, but he describes himself as “a former professional soccer player, winner of the reality TV show Survivor, two-time cancer survivor, cannabis advocate, and co-founder of Grassroot Soccer.” He also jokingly adds, but my friends call me “the marijuana mensch.” Shore House Canna is so excited Ethan will be joining us for our first-ever SHC Fall Fest, and we know that you’ll be just as excited to meet him too.

Before the event, we wanted to take the opportunity to introduce Ethan and share how his story of resilience, community, and cannabis can inspire us all.

Ethan’s Cannabis Journey

Ethan has consistently demonstrated an impressive level of physical activity and eznergy. He has played soccer all his life, playing goalie for Vassar College, the Hawaii Tsunami and Cape Cod Crusaders of the United Soccer Leagues, and in Zimbabwe for Highlanders F.C. He took his athletic abilities to the next level by competing on Eco Challenge (along with SHC’s own Dave Christian!), Survivor: All-Stars, Survivor 40: Winners at War, The Amazing Race, and Fear Factor, and by winning Survivor: Africa. However, his life came to a screeching halt when he was diagnosed with cancer.

At age 35, Ethan was diagnosed with CD20-positive Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. He immediately began chemotherapy and radiation, and his doctors prescribed him a laundry list of medications: Percocet for pain, Zofran for nausea, Xanax for anxiety, Ambien for sleep, Lexapro for mood, Ativan for relaxation and nausea, Ensure for protein, and Adderall for energy. In 2009, during the height of the opioid epidemic, Ethan sought an alternative medicine—cannabis—to support him through his cancer treatment. The problem was trying to find it.

“I was literally on the streets of New York City. With a mask and gloves on, bald with chemo, talking to a drug dealer who sold coke, ecstasy, Percocet, and weed. And I was doing illegal activity on top of going through the incredibly stressful experience of cancer, which was horrible,” he shared.

Despite the distress it took to get cannabis, Ethan was able to stop taking several of the medications he was prescribed.

“[With cannabis], I was able to reduce the dosages on some completely. I could eliminate Ambien, I got off Xanax, and I got off the Lexapro. I definitely needed [cannabis] for nausea, for some pain, and an appetite stimulant, so I got off Ensure. So it was a really, really great solution for me.”

Ethan went through his first round of chemotherapy, stayed in remission for 20 months, but relapsed in 2011 and had to undergo a second round of treatment. Even though he has been in remission since 2013, his post-cancer experience was even worse.

“I was plagued with extreme anxiety, fearing relapse to the point where I wasn’t even leaving the house. I was in a really bad place, and I got more into CBD and cannabis at that time, and it just became more of an everyday thing, incorporated into my daily lifestyle. I used to keep cannabis and exercise routines separate, but now I’ve put them together,” he said.

Breaking Down Barriers Through Cannabis Advocacy

Ethan continues to stay active and play soccer. In 2022, he celebrated 10 years in remission by running the Boston Marathon as the first publicly medicated runner, sponsored and medicated by Trulieve Cannabis.

Having experienced the benefits of cannabis in both sports and health, Ethan is passionate about sharing the positive impact the plant can have on people’s lives. He believes fostering an open, educational environment is key to breaking down barriers and welcoming those who are curious or uncertain.

“One of my goals in everything I do around cannabis is to create this little mini-revolution of consciousness and let people know that it’s okay to use it for different parts of your life. I think still to this day, especially in seniors, there’s just a lot of stigma, a lot of shame, as well as a lack of education and awareness,” he said.

These days, Ethan works to close the gap between the healthcare field and cannabis education. He has partnered with EO Care, a company that provides personalized physician-guided medical cannabis care plans for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.

Shore House Canna is so excited Ethan will be joining us for our first-ever SHC Fall Fest, and we know that you’ll be just as excited to meet him too.

The Fall Fest is dedicated to bringing vendors, guests, and the local community together to enjoy the fall season, live music, good company, and a day of consumption-friendly fun. We can’t wait to sea you there!

The contents of this blog are intended for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.