News & Updates

THURSDAY 11/13 @ 5:15PM

Free and open to the public. No registration required.

This interactive "Turf Talk" presented by The Haven Center dispensary will provide an overview of the some of the claimed benefits of cannabis within the context of fitness and wellness, as well as explanations about which specific cannabinoids are best suited towards attaining specific goals.

The idea that cannabis - and in particular specific cannabinoids - can benefit exercise performance and recovery has gained increasing attention in recent years. Many studies and anecdotal reports suggest that specific cannabinoids can help:

• Improve overall performance by boosting max output, increasing tolerance of pain/discomfort during exercise, and making exercise more pleasurable in general.
• Aid recovery by reducing inflammation, diminishing sensations of pain, and improving sleep.

Results from research studies continue to produce somewhat mixed or contradictory findings, however, and respected medical professionals can be found supporting both "pro" and "anti" stances on this topic. Meanwhile, the topic remains a topic of high interest for further scientific and medical study.

(Read on for some additional perspectives from both sides of the issue.)

PRESS COVERAGE SUGGESTING BENEFITS:

- Triathlete - 7/10/25: "The Endurance Athlete’s Guide to Training With Cannabis"

- Psychology Today - 1/12/25: "Can Cannabis Increase the Pleasure of Exercise? - Many users report improved motivation and performance."

• "Recent reports claim that cannabis can facilitate exercise by increasing motivation, performance and pleasure.
• Using cannabis prior to aerobic or anaerobic exercise improved exercise pleasure and after-exercise recovery.
• In both human and animal studies cannabis did not increase exercise motivation or actual performance."

- PubMed - 8/24/24: "The Effect of Cannabidiol [CBD] on Performance and Post-Load Recovery among Healthy and Physically Active Individuals: A Systematic Review"

• "Current evidence supports a limited beneficial effect of CBD on a number of physiological parameters, such as VO2, mean power, and relative mean power. At the same time, there were limited data on the beneficial effects of CBD on strength parameters (including vertical jump, counter movement jump, one repetition max bench press, and barbell back squat) and post-load recovery."

- Runner's World - 1/23/24: "Does Cannabis Before a Workout Affect Performance?"

• "New research examines the effects of taking cannabis before a run, and found that it may improve mood and enjoyment, but it also may make the workout feel harder."

- PubMed - 8/5/23: "Cannabis use for exercise recovery in trained individuals: a survey study"

• "Ninety-three percent of participants felt that CBD use assisted them with recovery from exercise, while 87% of participants felt the same regarding THC use."

CAUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES:

- Sports Illustrated Everyday Athlete - 7/20/25: "The Truth About Cannabis and Performance | Dr. Kirk Parsley Drops a Reality Check"

• "... chronic use reduces blood flow to the brain and impairs cognitive function."

- AP - 6/25/24: "NCAA council votes to remove cannabis from banned drug list ..."

• Cited reason was that "[cannabis products] do not provide a competitive advantage ... The council’s focus is on policies centered on student-athlete health and well-being rather than punishment for cannabis use.”

- Outside Magazine - 2/21/24: "This Is Your Endurance on Cannabis - Marijuana is still a banned substance for athletes, but new research is chipping away at the idea that it makes you faster."

- Journal of Applied Physiology - 2/1/24: "Cannabis containing THC impairs 20-min cycling time trial performance irrespective of the method of inhalation."

• "Participants who were habitual cannabis users (minimum use 1 time/wk for 1 mo; confirmed by a urine drug test) were recruited from the community and local club-level cycling and rowing teams."