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Matt Every leads the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida while former winner, Australia's Marc Leishman, sits six shots behind.

Arnold Palmer Invitational first-round leader Matt Every has called on the US PGA Tour and the World Anti-Doping Agency to allow athletes to use marijuana for medical use having been suspended last year.

Every, twice a winner of the Palmer event, was suspended for 12 weeks for violating the PGA Tour's Conduct Policy for drug abuse.

Every revealed the suspension was for cannabis for which he has a legal prescription in the state of Florida for a mental health condition.

Two months after his suspension ended, he shot a scintillating 65 on day one at Florida's Bay Hill course to top the Palmer leaderboard at seven under.

World No.1 and 2018 Palmer champion Rory McIlroy (66) is a shot behind him.

The US PGA Tour follows the WADA code and cannabis is on its list of banned substances.

Every, who suffers from anxiety, was irritated more consideration wasn't given to mental health by the US PGA Tour and WADA.

"I think it would be cool if we were proactive about it and made some changes," he said.

"Anxiety is a real thing and the way I treat it is the healthiest way possible for my body.

"But WADA doesn't think so and the Tour goes by what WADA says. It's really silly, to be honest.

"Now I'm kind of fired up about it, so I'm going to stop talking."

When Every was suspended in October, he explained he was not eligible to use prescription 'Z class' drugs such as Xanax.

"It bothers me that (cannabis) is even an issue (and) on the list of banned substances," he said on Thursday.

"You could fail for heroin and marijuana and the penalty is the same. If anyone wants to make the argument that that is performance enhancing, they have never done it before."

Meanwhile, Marc Leishman (71) was best of the Australians at one-under-par, six behind Every.

Leishman brought long-time swing coach Denis McDade from Australia to his Virginia Beach home last week to sharpen his game with less than six weeks until the Masters, the year's first major.

"Dennis and I were starting our Augusta prep, as well as Players Championship next week and the (World Golf Championships) Match Play before Augusta," Leishman told AAP.

"The Arnold Palmer is one of my favourite events of the year so I wanted to be sharp.

"Hopefully I can shoot a low one tomorrow and get myself up the leaderboard for the weekend."

Leishman's fellow Australians, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Matt Jones, all struggled on day one.

Day (74) is two over, while Jones (75) is three over and Scott (77) five over.