Whether they perform at the high school, collegiate, or professional level, every athlete has received a lecture, in some form or another, on why they should stay away from cannabis. Warnings of lazy work ethic, adverse effects on the lungs, etc, have stopped many players from understanding that cannabis may provide several benefits. In fact, there are a plethora of reasons backed by scientific studies that suggest why weed might be good for athletes.
Why Weed is Good For Athletes: Increased Enjoyment of Exercise
In 2019, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, Angela Bryan, performed a survey on 600 cannabis users. The survey asked users questions about their use of cannabis with their lifestyle. Beforehand, Bryan suspected that cannabis would make people less active. However, more than 80% of the respondents stated that they regularly use it before, during, or after workouts. 70% stated that it actually increased their enjoyment of workouts. The results of this survey suggest the strong potential for cannabis to help athletes recover.
Cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug. With that being said, one way that cannabis has the potential to help during workouts is by potentially increasing mind-muscle connection.
Essential To Recovery
The biggest reason why weed might be good for athletes is its potential to stimulate recovery. Cannabis has potentially relaxing properties that may help ease muscle tension as well as calm the mind. Additionally, cannabis may help to aid in sleep with its natural sedative properties. Cannabis also might possess strong anti-inflammatory properties as well as pain-relieving properties. All of these potential benefits might translate to a state of mental and physical recovery.
In another 2019 study, 26% of the 1,161 respondents reported that they were athletes who currently use cannabis. Of that number, 70% said it helped them sleep and alleviate pain from tough workouts. These results support the notion that weed is good for athletes.
The potential of cannabis goes beyond just the physical. Any athlete can attest to the fact that your strength of mind is just as important as your strength of the body. Cannabis has the potential to aid in the recovery of both. With so many potential benefits, there are several reasons why you might argue that weed is good for athletes.