Cannabis Use in Professional Sports: A Growing Trend
As the sports world continues to grapple with performance‑enhancing substances, one compound that often flies under the radar is cannabis. In his book Runner’s High (G.P. Putnam’s Sons), investigative journalist Josiah Hesse argues that marijuana use is widespread across many professional leagues, serving purposes ranging from pain management to anxiety relief.
How Common Is Cannabis Among Athletes?
Several former players have offered candid estimates of usage within their sports:
- Former Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin said roughly 85 percent of NBA players consume cannabis.
- Ex‑Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Riley Cote stated that at least half of NHL players use the drug.
- Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett claimed that nearly 90 percent of NFL athletes rely on marijuana, primarily to cope with pain and avoid opioids.
These anecdotes are backed by personal testimonies. Defensive end David Irving wrote on Instagram in March 2019 that he smoked two blunts before every game he played, while defensive lineman Shaun Smith told Bleacher Report that smoking helped him focus and feel unstoppable on the field.
Why Athletes Turn to Marijuana
Pain relief is the most frequently cited reason. Many players report using cannabis to mitigate inflammation and soreness after intense training or competition, thereby reducing reliance on prescription opioids that carry addiction risks.
Performance anxiety also drives use. Wide receiver Percy Harvin of the Seattle Seahawks explained that he got high before each game to calm nerves caused by playing in front of large crowds. “The only thing that really seemed to work is when I would smoke marijuana,” he told Bleacher Report, adding that he was high for every game he played.
Josiah Hesse notes that, when used responsibly, cannabis’s anti‑inflammatory properties can aid recovery and reduce fatigue, counteracting the stereotype that getting high turns athletes into “useless couch‑monsters.” He emphasizes the importance of dosing—using THC, CBD, or other derivatives at levels that enhance rather than impair performance.
Policy Shifts and League Responses
Regulatory bodies have begun to adjust their stances:
- The World Anti‑Doping Agency (WADA) raised the permissible THC threshold from 15 to 150 nanograms in 2013 and removed CBD from its prohibited list in 2018.
- The NFL increased the allowable THC limit from 35 to 150 nanograms and announced it will no longer suspend players for a positive cannabis test. In June 2021 the league launched a joint commission with the players’ union, offering up to $1 million in grants to study marijuana, CBD, and opioid alternatives for pain management.
- Major League Baseball dropped cannabis from its banned substances list in 2019 (though players cannot be high during games or accept sponsorships from cannabis companies).
- The NBA suspended random cannabis testing for players in 2020.
Despite these changes, some organizations still penalize use. The World Wrestling Federation imposes a “weed tax” of $2,500 on athletes caught using marijuana, and the PGA Tour suspended golfer Matt Every for three months in 2018 after a positive test, even though he held a legal medical prescription in Florida.
A Journalist’s Personal Experiment
Hesse’s own journey adds a experiential layer to his reporting. After years of heavy drinking, he turned to running and began ingesting cannabis edibles—food products containing regulated milligrams of THC. He found that a dose of 10–20 mg THC before a run transformed exercise from “pure misery” into a “profoundly meditative, inspiring and downright hedonistic activity.” While smoking cannabis carries risks such as bronchitis or cancer, he notes that controlled edible consumption can be a safer alternative.
Historical Context
Cannabis first fell under federal control with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Harsh mandatory sentences arrived in 1952, and the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 prohibited the drug for any purpose, though it downgraded possession from a felony to a misdemeanor. Activism by athletes—such as NFL linebacker Dave Meggyesy’s “Jocks for Joynts” group in the 1970s—helped begin shifting perceptions, laying groundwork for today’s policy reforms.
Looking Ahead
As more states legalize recreational and medicinal cannabis—19 states and Washington, D.C. now allow adult use, while 37 states permit medical marijuana—the conversation around its role in sports continues to evolve. Hesse asks whether professional leagues will eventually embrace cannabis as openly as they do alcohol, or whether the cannabis community will need to create its own sporting venues.
For readers interested in the original reporting that inspired this overview, see the source article Here.
