Is MJ a "performance enhancing drug?"

[woolfe9998]

So probably most of you have read that America's best female 100 meter race runner - Sha'Carri Richardson - was banned from competing in the event because she tested positive for MJ.

U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson suspended for one month after failed drug test

"This will be the last time the Olympics don’t see Sha’Carri Richardson," she said Friday during an exclusive interview on NBC's "TODAY" show.

www.nbcnews.com

AFAIK there are no studies suggesting that MJ use enhances performance. There is no basis in science, fact or logic for this rule. Biden's comment was "rules are rules" which I don't think is terribly helpful.

It's time these institutions jettison archaic rules empowering them to act like paternalistic morality police. The banning was totally unfair to the athlete and the US. A serious examination and re-thinking of these rules is in order.

 

[IronWing]

I have not a single care what athletes consume. The product is entertainment and if folks want to pop drugs to improve their ratings, it ain't my concern.

 

[ch33zw1z]

There are definitely PED's, MJ doesn't strike me as one of them.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I have not a single care what athletes consume. The product is entertainment and if folks want to pop drugs to improve their ratings, it ain't my concern.

How about cocaine, crack, or Adderall?

Whats the point of a competition with some kind of equalization baseline of expectations?

 

[Vic]

Time to legalize and put an end to this stupidity.

 

[Pohemi]

Things are slowly and gradually changing here in the US pro sports leagues in regards to Cannabis policy, but...the Olympics are world-wide. Not all countries are as lenient, but...it's a societal/"moral" issue. MJ is not a PED unless Napping is a new Olympic sport...

MLB policy change
NFL policy change

 

[ondma]

Going to take probably an unpopular opinion here. Personally, I dont care if someone uses pot, at least unless they try to drive stoned or something.
OTOH, if you had trained years for probably a one time chance at world wide fame and probably financial wealth, from an abundance of caution, you might want to lay off the pot in the immediate days or weeks before the competition.

 

[Sunburn74]

How about cocaine, crack, or Adderall?

Whats the point of a competition with some kind of equalization baseline of expectations?

The playing field is never level

 

[MomentsofSanity]

We’ve been hearing for years about the benefits of marijuana medicinally. Inflammation, muscle aches and pains. Sure I can see an argument where it could be helpful for athletes in some areas.

 

[UNCjigga]

I feel bad for her, but rules are rules. From what I’ve read, US track and field rules do not discourage marijuana use outright—only within a certain window of time during competition. They also allow a certain amount in the bloodstream during the test that won’t trigger a positive. Basically, she wouldn’t have had an issue if she hadn’t used within a week of her test. She knew she had competition coming up but she took a risk and now lives with the consequences.

 

[Roger Wilco]

For any athlete that needs to consume an insane amount of calories (swimming, powerlifting, etc), I suppose it could be a useful way to load up, and far more enjoyable than force feeding and fighting nausea during every gigantic meal.

Read about how much shit Phelps had to eat while he was training. No wonder he got caught ripping a bong.

 

[dank69]

I honestly think it can be. I'd guess that more often than not it is a performance dehancer, but I could see how combined with science and money it could be an enhancer. Sometimes I feel like I play golf better when stoned, for example, and I don't have a team of scientists tweaking and analyzing like a pro could.

 

[dank69]

I feel bad for her, but rules are rules. From what I’ve read, US track and field rules do not discourage marijuana use outright—only within a certain window of time during competition. They also allow a certain amount in the bloodstream during the test that won’t trigger a positive. Basically, she wouldn’t have had an issue if she hadn’t used within a week of her test. She knew she had competition coming up but she took a risk and now lives with the consequences.

This is exactly how I feel about it and I say that as someone who has been pushing for full legalization of all drugs for over 30 years.

 

[Matt390]

hey also allow a certain amount in the bloodstream during the test that won’t trigger a positive.

Thats how all drug tests work.

 

[Pohemi]

Thats how all drug tests work.

Your reading comprehension utterly fails, and your consistently moronic commentary continues to prove it.

That isn't, "how all drug tests work", dumbass.
He's talking about the levels detected in the bloodstream. The "trigger a positive" might be a misnomer, but it isn't difficult to understand what he meant. Here, I'll even 'fix' it for you...

They also allow a certain amount in the bloodstream during the test that won’t trigger a positive a ban/punishment.

Lower levels of THC aren't going to be punishable. Smoke a joint the night before the test, and yeah...you'll be "over the limit" on allowable levels, leading to bans/suspensions.

However...ANY amount or detection of a PED such as an illegal steroid, or cocaine, etc. is bannable. Any amount AT ALL. Any detectable level.

Understand now, "r" word excised

/awaits more idiocy from the clown

edit to add extra info- unless it's a home testing kit bought at a pharmacy, the tests that they run aren't simply a pos/neg result...they actually show readable, relative 'levels' of said substances in your system, and have at least a general idea of your useage level or how recently it may have occurred

We do not allow the use of the 'r' word for the differently abled here.

Perknose
Forum Director

 

[Amol S.]

Yes, Micheal Jackson's songs enhance the performance of many people, as it lifts their spirits up from any pain or stress that they previously were feeling.

 

[cytg111]

Your reading comprehension utterly fails, and your consistently moronic commentary continues to prove it.

That isn't, "how all drug tests work", dumbass.
He's talking about the levels detected in the bloodstream. The "trigger a positive" might be a misnomer, but it isn't difficult to understand what he meant. Here, I'll even 'fix' it for you...

Lower levels of THC aren't going to be punishable. Smoke a joint the night before the test, and yeah...you'll be "over the limit" on allowable levels, leading to bans/suspensions.

However...ANY amount or detection of a PED such as an illegal steroid, or cocaine, etc. is bannable. Any amount AT ALL. Any detectable level.

Understand now, retard?

/awaits more idiocy from the clown

edit to add extra info- unless it's a home testing kit bought at a pharmacy, the tests that they run aren't simply a pos/neg result...they actually show readable, relative 'levels' of said substances in your system, and have at least a general idea of your useage level or how recently it may have occurred

I only have one "like" pr. the javascript of these forums, anyway, here is another +1.

 

[VRAMdemon]

I have seen it bandied about in the media that MJ is a "performance enhancing" drug because it reduces anxiety, helps with sleep, reduces stress and allows the athlete to be more mentally relaxed to focus on the task at hand than a non smoking competitor. Some are claiming If an athlete is freaking out because they’re doubting themselves, reducing that anxiety can give them self confidence and hence - an advantage.

Please! If we’re going to prohibit athletes from taking marijuana because it can reduce stress and help with sleep, I hope they’re also going to also ban meditation, massage chamomile tea and blowjobs. If marijuana was a performance-enhancing drug, me and my high school basketball team would have been at the 1980 Olympics.

The only legitimate role of USADA and WADA is to test for substances that provide an athlete with an unfair advantage in competition. Maaaaybe marijuana use could be performance enhancing in some very specific circumstances, but that’s not the justification in WADA’s rule book. Marijuana along with cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, etc. are banned because they “are frequently abused in society outside of the context of sport,” according to the WADA rule book.

It’s not anti-doping agencies’ job to police recreational drug use. They shouldn’t be testing for these substances at all. If an "athlete" wants to compete in the Olympics high on coke or heroin - they will lose.

 

[cytg111]

It’s not anti-doping agencies’ job to police recreational drug use.

There it is.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Would be a PED maybe in the Nathan's hotdog eating competition, otherwise it's fucking retarded.

 

[Matt390]

I have seen it bandied about in the media that MJ is a "performance enhancing" drug because it reduces anxiety, helps with sleep, reduces stress and allows the athlete to be more mentally relaxed to focus on the task at hand than a non smoking competitor. Some are claiming If an athlete is freaking out because they’re doubting themselves, reducing that anxiety can give them self confidence and hence - an advantage.

Please! If we’re going to prohibit athletes from taking marijuana because it can reduce stress and help with sleep, I hope they’re also going to also ban meditation, massage chamomile tea and blowjobs. If marijuana was a performance-enhancing drug, me and my high school basketball team would have been at the 1980 Olympics.

The only legitimate role of USADA and WADA is to test for substances that provide an athlete with an unfair advantage in competition. Maaaaybe marijuana use could be performance enhancing in some very specific circumstances, but that’s not the justification in WADA’s rule book. Marijuana along with cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, etc. are banned because they “are frequently abused in society outside of the context of sport,” according to the WADA rule book.

It’s not anti-doping agencies’ job to police recreational drug use. They shouldn’t be testing for these substances at all. If an "athlete" wants to compete in the Olympics high on coke or heroin - they will lose.

It actually is the anti-doping agencies job to police recreational drug use. I dont want some 2bit criminal representing America on the world stage.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

We’ve been hearing for years about the benefits of marijuana medicinally. Inflammation, muscle aches and pains. Sure I can see an argument where it could be helpful for athletes in some areas.

That's kind of my thought. It may not alter or enhance like steroids do, but it can alter your calm and mask pain which could give an advantage.

 

[cytg111]

It actually is the anti-doping agencies job to police recreational drug use. I dont want some 2bit criminal representing America on the world stage.

Who brought up the R word?

 

[Jhhnn]

Thats how all drug tests work.

False. Marijuana testing measures the presence of an inactive THC metabolite that lingers in body fat.

 

[Pohemi]

That's kind of my thought. It may not alter or enhance like steroids do, but it can alter your calm and mask pain which could give an advantage.

I wouldn't argue against that point, but is it unique?
Is the use of CBD prohibited/limited? Or OTC NSAIDs or analgesics?

Phelps said he ripped bongs to relieve muscle pain. I wouldn't call that a PED. It's worse for your respiratory health, but better for your liver than taking Tylenol, or your kidneys from taking Ibuprofen or Aspirin.

If an athlete also suffered from excessive anxiety, should they be prohibited from a prescribed pharmaceutical which is intended solely to help them function normally, without panic attacks, etc?

Not sure that should (in theory) be considered a PED, but the drug and it's effects would have to be looked at scientifically to understand that aspect.

It is already scientifically understood that THC is not a performance-enhancing drug. It is still targeted due to rules based on old and outdated social norms, and the rules have not evolved alongside those accepted norms in many countries around the globe.