I used to snowboard a lot in college.
And most of the time, I was high on the slopes.
And that was true of everyone I knew who snowboarded.
For whatever reasons, snowboarding and marijuana just seemed to belong together.
And the same seems to be true of most extreme sports. Many, if not most, extreme athletes like to smoke weed.
So why is there such a strong connection between cannabis and extreme sports?
Does weed enhance performance, or is it simply that it makes these types of activities more fun? Keep reading for the answers to those questions, and everything else there is to know about the connection between extreme sports ands marijuana use.
Contents
A Brief Overview Of Cannabis And Extreme Sports
Athletes engaging in extreme sports like windsurfing, skiing, sailing, and snowboarding often use cannabis to enhance their performance.
The THC in cannabis relaxes the mind and body while also boosting the oxygenation of tissues, decreasing pre-competition anxiety, and aiding in sleep during recovery. However, many sports commissions have banned the use of cannabis among athletes.
To understand the reason behind the bans, and the reason behind marijuana’s popularity among extreme athletes, we need to understand exactly what cannabis is and how it works.
Understanding Cannabis
Cannabis is a complex plant containing more than 400 chemical entities. Out of these, more than 60 are cannabinoids.
The primary cannabinoid is THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is known to relieve pain, curb nausea, increase dopamine, reduce stress, and enhance testosterone.
Athletes sometimes use cannabis for recreational and medicinal purposes. Recreational cannabis provides a euphoric high and promotes muscle relaxation.
Some athletes may be prescribed medicinal cannabis to relieve chronic muscle pain, speed up healing, curb pre-competition anxiety, and get better sleep.
Does CBD Affect Athletic Performance?
Cannabis offers several benefits for athletes in extreme sports like sailing, surfing, and snowboarding. The main ones are:
Pain And Inflammation Relief
One of the main benefits of THC in cannabis is pain relief. After intense physical activity, many athletes use cannabis to manage soreness and muscle pain. This helps them recover faster and get back to their sport sooner.
THC also has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce swelling and speed up healing. This is especially helpful for athletes who frequently push their bodies to the limit.
Promoting Relaxation
Extreme sports can be mentally demanding and stressful. Cannabis, particularly its THC component, helps relax the mind and body, especially before a competition.
Some studies suggest that THC has an analgesic effect that helps relax muscles and improve sleep, both of which are important for recovery. This can reduce anxiety and improve focus, making it easier for athletes to perform under pressure.
Reduces Insomnia
Good sleep is crucial for recovery and overall performance. Athletes often find that cannabis helps them fall asleep more easily and they enjoy a deeper, more restful sleep. Better sleep means better overall performance because the body heals and recharges during rest.
Boosts Sensory Perception
Some athletes believe that cannabis enhances their creativity and sensory perception. This can be particularly useful in sports that require quick thinking and adaptability to changing conditions, like surfing and snowboarding.
Cannabis Use In Athletic Competitions
Next, let’s take a closer look at the use of marijuana among athletes and in athletic competitions.
Cannabis Use Among Athletes Is Second Only To Alcohol
Studies indicate that recreational cannabis use among athletes is second only to alcohol consumption. This high prevalence can be attributed to the benefits of cannabis described above.
The type of sport significantly influences the rate of cannabis consumption among athletes. For example, high-octane activities like sailing, windsurfing, skiing, and snowboarding see higher rates of cannabis use.
Athletes in these sports often seek the relaxation and focus-enhancing effects of cannabis to help manage the intense physical and mental demands of their activities.
Controversy
Despite its popularity, the use of cannabis among athletes remains a controversial issue since it is difficult to assess whether the athlete used cannabis socially or to boost performance.
This is further complicated by the fact that cannabis can be detected in the urine weeks after use, so it is difficult to state exactly where, how, and why an athlete may have used it.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has strict criteria for banning substances in competitions based on the following three points:
- The substance has the potential to enhance performance
- It poses a health risk
- It violates the spirit of sport
According to WADA, cannabis meets all three criteria, which is why it the organization has banned its use among athletes. Similarly, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) views cannabis as contrary to the ethics of sportsmanship, leading to its ban at many sporting events.
The Case Of Olympic Snowboarder Ross Rebagliati
A notable instance of cannabis-related controversy in sports is the case of Ross Rebagliati, an Olympic snowboarder who had to return his gold medal after testing positive for cannabis.
However, Ross protested the decision, stating that the traces of cannabis in his urine could have been due to second-hand marijuana smoke. Ultimately, Ross got back his medal since it was determined that the trace amounts of cannabis found in his system could not be performance-enhancing.
This high-profile case highlighted the strict enforcement of anti-cannabis regulations in sports. Since retiring from snowboarding, Rebagliati has become a famous cannabis entrepreneur and is the founder of Ross’ Gold, a medical marijuana business.
Limitations In Current Research Related To Cannabis Use In Sports
Ross Rebagliati’s case highlights the fact that there are limitations and gaps in the current research on cannabis in athletics. Most studies are small or have been done on animals rather than humans.
There is still a lot we don’t know about how cannabis affects athletic performance in the long term. Additionally, the effects can vary widely from person to person. More research is needed to fully understand the benefits and risks of cannabis use for athletes.
Will Cannabis Affect Your Workout?
According to a study conducted by the University of Boulder in Colorado, consuming a small amount of weed before a workout can help boost motivation and make exercise more enjoyable.
The study was based on 42 runners and concluded that both THC and CBD before exercise boosted the athletes’ positive mood and made the activity seem more fun. Participants in the study reported feeling a runner’s high when exercising after using cannabis.
This concludes that cannabis can be used as a tool to reduce sedentary lifestyles and get people moving. Of course, the author of the study, Angela Bryan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience, cautions that one needs to keep in mind both the harms and benefits of using cannabis.
Dangers Of Cannabis Use For Athletic Performance
Some people experience dizziness and a loss of balance after using cannabis, so it may not be for everyone. Marijuana smokers are also exposed to the same toxins and carcinogens as tobacco smokers, so regular use could result in chronic bronchitis.
Studies also warn about the mental effects of cannabis use, especially in young people. Exposure to cannabis in teens and young adults has been shown to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and psychoses. These issues are further exacerbated by certain genetic factors and pre-existing health issues.
Marijuana Use Among Extreme Athletes: Final Thoughts
The relationship between cannabis and extreme sports is multifaceted and complex. While some athletes in high-intensity sports such as windsurfing, skiing, and snowboarding turn to cannabis for its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and anxiety-reducing properties, the substance remains controversial and banned by major sports commissions and agencies like WADA and USADA.
Although cannabis may enhance relaxation, focus, and sensory perception, which can be beneficial in extreme sports, the potential for performance enhancement, health risks, and violation of the spirit of sport lead to its prohibition in competitive settings.
As the debate continues and research progresses, athletes and sports enthusiasts must weigh the potential benefits of cannabis use against its legal implications and health risks.
While cannabis may offer temporary relief and enjoyment in workouts, as suggested by the University of Boulder study referenced above, its role in sports remains a contentious issue that requires careful consideration and a balanced perspective on both its advantages and disadvantages.
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