Study: 26% of athletes use cannabis

Little is known about cannabis use among athletes. In fact, it is more commonly viewed through the lens of doping, as cannabidiol (CBD) has been removed from the list of banned substances In early 2018, the reasons why athletes use it.

The study PWell, Eexercise, and Ccannabis Eexperience (PEACE) sought to answer these questions by determining the frequency of use and the subjective effects that adult athletes were seeking.

Among a cohort of 1,274 athletes and 1,161 respondents, 302 (26%) had used cannabis in the previous two weeks. Three types of users were identified:

• older athletes who primarily use CBD
• athletes of all ages who use cannabis (THC and CBD) primarily for recreational purposes
• athletes of all ages who have been using it for a long time for medical or recreational reasons

The three main reasons for using it are:

• less pain
• sleep aid
• promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety

Athletes who use a combination of THC and CBD have reported the greatest benefits in terms of well-being and calm, with minimal side effects.

Some interesting observations

Generally speaking, studies on cannabis tend to focus on behaviors associated with problematic use. The present study, however, suggests that adult athletes use cannabis responsibly, primarily for medical conditions such as pain and anxiety.

Among the consumers in the study, fewer than 30% used cannabis solely for recreational purposes, 10% used cannabis more than twice a day, and 61% reported using cannabis for pain relief. In addition, these same users exercise frequently: about 63% of them play sports 5 to 7 days a week, and 71% of them exercise 6 to 15 hours a week.

They also reported a pain frequency of 61%. People with chronic pain tend to have lower levels of physical activity than healthy individuals, even though there is evidence supporting the use of physical activity as a treatment to improve overall health and pain symptoms. Early studies suggested that older cannabis users engage in more physical activity, with the presumed mechanism being reduced pain perception among users.

One possible mechanism involves the endocannabinoid system and the fact that this biological system contributes to the cognitive and physiological effects associated with physical exercise and exercise-induced euphoria. It is also hypothesized that there is an exercise-endocannabinoid interaction, triggering, for example, the «high» runners experience.

The complete data from the study can be viewed here.