Marijuana In Sports. WHY WASTE TIME AND MONEY TESTING FOR IT?

I thought it was because Marijuana made it difficult to test for OTHER performance enhancing drugs. That's what I was told anyway ..

oh i meant to add:

it's so nice that nobody is getting flamed!! this is the most mature discussion i've seen here in a while! patting ourselves on the back...

How come no one has said anything about Michael Phelps?

Anyone (like myself) who has been around world-class athletes in another era before official bodies began sniffing around for marijuana, or anyone who has been around high-level athletes in environments where marijuana isn't tested for, realize that most of the time, under most circumstances, pot does not effect performance. I really don't understand why they test, honestly. Something about "morality?" A waste of time. If you've followed the screaming around pot-testing in the NBA, you'll realize just how foolish it is. Half the NBA, if not more, would have tested positive at one time or another. It's naive to think otherwise.

Does anyone know the history of why these tests were introduced in track and field?

With grass, we ought to have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Why would kids need to know that Michael Phelp uses a bong? If he hadn't gotten "outed," it wouldn't have mattered. Let's leave athlete's private lives alone, and let them be "heroes" and role models in public.

Yes, the Michael Phelps thing was unique.

He was suspended by the US federation for having a picture or video of him smoking pot.

He did not break any rule. They just wanted to send a message for the sake of public relations and Phelps agreed to it.

If Phelps didn't agree to do it there could have been an issue but it was probably a good move to accept it considering he didn't miss any major competitions.

Doing damage control for a leaked video is much different than creating a rule and doing the testing.

Phelps went on to compete in the World Championships that year and won more golds.

World leader, Ivory Williams will miss the Indoor World Championships.

You cant have a sport saying to children, come and watch these people, and then have them doing things that you dont want children to do.

It's surprising to see so many people claiming pot does not have any benefits to athletes.

Calms the mind

Relaxes muscles

Promotes deep, restful sleep

anything that helps athletes relax, calm the mind and sleep better is a performance enhancer to me!

So you're saying Shawn Kemp should have been banned from the NBA for having several children from several mothers out of wedlock.

X-Runner wrote:

So you're saying Shawn Kemp should have been banned from the NBA for having several children from several mothers out of wedlock.

Well I dont know the specifics of it but that is the crude idea.

But Heidi -- how do children come to know? Because the athletes are tested! It's a lose-lose situation.

I didn't want to go there, but since you have, I've got your back! :)

There are only two downsides to marijuana use: Lung damage, but this is not an issue with athletes who are working out, because a few tokes on a joint is probably better for you than a stroll through Downtown Mexico City.

The other downside is what pot can do to your will. We've all observed this. But since we're talking about world- or national-caliber athletes, it's unlikely that their wills will be much effected by getting baked every once in a while.

So roll up another one, just like the other one... :)

They should be punished so they dont do it.

asdf90099090 wrote:

Marijuana is illegal for non-medical use. Thus, it should be banned and tested for. My 2oo cents.

Should the governing bodies of track and field be responsible for making sure athletes comply with other laws too. Should they start instituting bans for drunk driving or domestic abuse. I agree with the OP on this issue. It's not WADA's or USADA's job to enforce the laws of the country. If there is a legitimate performance enhancing reason that some athletes take marijuana then I would agree with the testing for it, but to my knowledge there is none.

starmiler wrote:

I didn't want to go there, but since you have, I've got your back! :)

There are only two downsides to marijuana use: Lung damage, but this is not an issue with athletes who are working out, because a few tokes on a joint is probably better for you than a stroll through Downtown Mexico City.

The other downside is what pot can do to your will. We've all observed this. But since we're talking about world- or national-caliber athletes, it's unlikely that their wills will be much effected by getting baked every once in a while.

So roll up another one, just like the other one... :)

to be fair...I would add dehydration as a potential issue. That being said, those who fail to see the performance enhancing effects of pot are lying to themselves or they are blind to the reality of marijuana.

I see the point...it's a drug...we don't want our kids doing it etc.

I just think it helps when we approach the situation with HONESTY. The whole "there is nothing positive about pot" thinking is very dangerous.

Let's say your 15 year old child goes to a party and gets high. The kid is feeling good, vibing to some good music, socialzing etc. The weed has the kid feeling loose and good. The kid comes home, you smell the weed and scold the kid explaining there is nothing positive about weed. Now you look like liar and a jackass because your monologue on the evils of weed are in direct conflict with your childs hands on experience at the party. Do you see how this makes you seem crazy.

A better approach might be: "I smell some pot on you. I don't know if it was you that was smoking or not, and I understand pot can be fun bit there are some things I'd like to share with you..." then you explain the downsides of pot.

"it's a drug it's 100% bad, 0% good" is a dangerous, lazy, ignorant way to think.

Dutch Master wrote:

It's surprising to see so many people claiming pot does not have any benefits to athletes.

Calms the mind

Relaxes muscles

Promotes deep, restful sleep

anything that helps athletes relax, calm the mind and sleep better is a performance enhancer to me!

Should I be banned from the sport for drinking a glass of scotch a couple of nights a week for roughly the same purposes?

I'm pretty sure that pot is banned on the basis of being a bronchodilator, which is very clearly a performance enhancer. I don't know how this hasn't been brought up yet. Makes my long runs certainly seem a little easier.

Bear of Bad News wrote:

Dutch Master wrote:

It's surprising to see so many people claiming pot does not have any benefits to athletes.

Calms the mind

Relaxes muscles

Promotes deep, restful sleep

anything that helps athletes relax, calm the mind and sleep better is a performance enhancer to me!

Should I be banned from the sport for drinking a glass of scotch a couple of nights a week for roughly the same purposes?

Absolutely not.

the fact that marijuana is illegal in the first place is complete bull****. the fact that it is being tested for in track and field is even worse. if marijuana is illegal, then alcohol should be illegal as hell, since a few too many shots could seriously damage or kill you whereas you would have to smoke HALF OF YOUR OWN BODY WEIGHT in marijuana to overdose, and you would have to do it in a very short time. and smoking half of your own bodyweight is completely impossible by the way...i know from personal experience, and in one night even the most experienced smoker could maybe do 3/4 of an ounce by themselves...so unless theres someone out there who weights in at 1.5 ounces, no one is dying from this substance, ever.

Tim Lincecum, Josh Howard, Michael Phelps...

uhh. Ricky Williams. I got more...