No Evidence Cannabis Enhances Athletic Performance, but Pain and Recovery Benefits Deserve Study
A review found no evidence that cannabis enhances athletic performance, but noted promising potential for pain management and concussion symptom relief in athletes that warrants further investigation.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
There is no direct evidence of cannabis as a performance-enhancing drug. Evidence for serious health harms in athletes is limited but potential for abuse and mental health issues should be considered. Cannabis use is associated with certain high-risk sports. The potential role of cannabis in pain management and concussion-related symptom relief deserves further attention.
Key Numbers
Cannabis use prevalence among elite athletes is not well-known. No evidence for performance enhancement. Limited evidence for both serious harms and benefits. Associated with high-risk sports.
How They Did This
Non-systematic literature review of Medline and PubMed for articles on cannabis/marijuana and sports/athletic performance.
Why This Research Matters
Cannabis is prohibited in competition by WADA despite no evidence of performance enhancement. As legalization expands, athletes and sports medicine providers need evidence-based guidance rather than policy-driven assumptions.
The Bigger Picture
The shifting cultural and legal landscape around cannabis is creating pressure to re-evaluate its place in sports. This review highlights that the evidence gap is large and cuts both ways - neither harms nor benefits in athletes are well-documented.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Non-systematic review may miss relevant studies. Limited evidence base across all areas. Cannabis products vary enormously in composition. Athletic populations are understudied.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should WADA reconsider cannabis prohibition given no evidence of performance enhancement?
- ?Could CBD products benefit athlete recovery without performance concerns?
- ?What are the risks of cannabis use for concussion management?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Zero evidence for cannabis as a performance-enhancing drug, but potential benefits for pain management and concussion symptoms deserve investigation.
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary - non-systematic review of a sparse evidence base.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2018. WADA has since raised the THC threshold and cannabis in sports remains under review.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis and the Health and Performance of the Elite Athlete.
- Published In:
- Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 28(5), 480-484 (2018)
- Authors:
- Ware, Mark A(14), Jensen, Dennis(3), Barrette, Amy, Vernec, Alan, Derman, Wayne
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01872
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis help or hurt athletic performance?
This review found no evidence that cannabis enhances performance. Evidence for serious harms in athletes is also limited. The most promising area for athletes is potential benefits in pain management and concussion symptom relief.
Why is cannabis banned in sports?
Cannabis is prohibited in competition by WADA, but this review found no evidence it enhances performance. The prohibition may reflect health and safety concerns rather than competitive fairness issues.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01872APA
Ware, Mark A; Jensen, Dennis; Barrette, Amy; Vernec, Alan; Derman, Wayne. (2018). Cannabis and the Health and Performance of the Elite Athlete.. Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 28(5), 480-484. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000000650
MLA
Ware, Mark A, et al. "Cannabis and the Health and Performance of the Elite Athlete.." Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000000650
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis and the Health and Performance of the Elite Athlete..." RTHC-01872. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/ware-2018-cannabis-and-the-health
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.