Firefighter Recovery: The Truth About CBD and First Responder Wellness

Firefighter Recovery: The Truth About CBD and First Responder Wellness

Episode 94 of Beneath the Helmet with Captain Jon Vought

When pain, sleepless nights, and chronic stress start feeling like part of the job, something has gone wrong in our wellness culture.

In Episode 94 of Beneath the Helmet, I sat down with Captain Jon Vought, a South Florida firefighter, educator, and founder of Rescue One, to talk about recovery, sleep, and a topic that’s still considered taboo in some circles: CBD, a non-intoxicating hemp-based compound used by thousands to improve sleep and reduce inflammation.

But this conversation isn’t about products or promotion. It’s about courage —the courage to explore alternative tools for recovery and the willingness to challenge long-standing stigmas in the fire service.

A Firefighter’s Journey from Pain to Purpose

Jon’s story starts like many in our profession: service, injury, and the long road back. After a serious foot surgery in 2018, he faced chronic pain, sleepless nights, and dependency on prescription medication.

“I needed something that was going to help me with my sleep that was safe for the job,” Jon shared. “And I couldn’t find anything that was truly made for first responders.”

That gap led him to create Rescue One, a firefighter-founded wellness company built around a straightforward principle: recovery without risk.

In this episode, we talk about how he learned to navigate the world of hemp-based wellness safely, what science actually says about cannabinoids, and why the stigma around CBD is slowly fading.

This wasn’t a debate about legality; it was a conversation about leadership, health, and the need to take care of those who take care of others.

The Bigger Picture: Wellness in the Fire Service

As firefighters and first responders, we understand the toll the job takes, both physically and emotionally. Chronic stress and sleep deprivation are more than discomforts; they’re precursors to Operational Stress Injuries, burnout, and long-term health decline.

Jon reminded us that inflammation and disrupted sleep aren’t just minor issues; they’re warning lights on the dashboard.

“Chronic inflammation is linked to every major disease process,” he said. “Firefighters are often living in a state of inflammation because of our lifestyle, sleep disruption, cortisol spikes, poor recovery. It all adds up.”

His work focuses on exploring how to restore balance through education and proactive wellness, rather than relying on quick fixes.

My Top 5 Nuggets from Episode 94

1. Sleep Is the Foundation of Recovery

“If we don’t have good sleep, everything else is going to be a struggle.”

We often talk about fitness, nutrition, or mindset, but without rest, none of it sticks. Jon’s story underscores how sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s a leadership skill; leaders who prioritize sleep model sustainable performance for their crews.

2. Inflammation Is the Hidden Enemy

Firefighters live in a near-constant state of oxidative stress, a biological imbalance that drives inflammation. CBD, as Jon explains, helps regulate that balance safely by working with the body’s endocannabinoid system, a natural network designed to maintain homeostasis.

“We’re usually more often in a state of inflammation than not, and that has effects,” Jon said. “It’s not about masking pain; it’s about bringing your body back to balance.”

This is a key takeaway for anyone navigating high-performance careers.

3. Safety and Testing Matter

There’s still concern across departments about legality and testing. Jon was transparent: his company worked with the University of Maryland and Arcadia University, testing CBD products with 40 active firefighters, none failed their drug screens.

“We’re trying to prove that you can take this safely, that it’s possible to support your health without risking your career.”

That kind of evidence-based approach is what leadership should be built on: transparency, data, and integrity.

4. Challenge the Double Standards

One of the most striking aspects of our conversation was Jon’s take on prescription drug hypocrisy.

“Most fire departments allow firefighters to use benzodiazepines like Xanax while on shift,” he said, “yet we prohibit cannabis or hemp products that have virtually no overdose potential. It’s a contradiction we need to face.”

That’s not about rebellion, it’s about responsibility. If we claim to care about firefighter health, we can’t ignore the contradictions that prevent our people from accessing safe and effective recovery options.

5. Policy Must Evolve Before It’s Forced To

Jon left a sobering reminder for every fire chief and decision-maker listening: change is coming, whether you prepare for it or not.

“What happens when cannabis policy is imposed on you? Are you ready? Because it’s happening in cities and states across the country—and the departments that wait will be scrambling to catch up.”

That’s the leadership lesson behind this episode: don’t react to wellness, lead it.

Suppose this episode sparked your curiosity or challenged your perspective. In that case, I invite you to listen to the whole conversation on Beneath the Helmet, Episode 94 – “Firefighter Recovery: The Truth About CBD and First Responder Wellness.”

🎧 Watch or listen here: https://www.beneaththehelmet.ca/firefighter-recovery-the-truth-about-cb-and-first-responder-wellness/

👉 Subscribe to the podcast for conversations on leadership, wellness, and self-leadership in the fire service.
📤 Share this episode with a colleague, officer, or firefighter who’s ready to talk about recovery differently.

Together, we can change how the fire service thinks about health, one conversation at a time.

Arjuna George - Show Host