Runner’s High: How a Movement of Cannabis-Fueled Athletes Is Changing the Science of Sports

Investigative journalist Hesse (Carnality) offers a stimulating survey of recent changing attitudes toward cannabis use in athletics, aided by his own personal history running marathons “under the influence.” Contrary to stereotypical portrayals of cannabis users as zoned-out “lazy stoner[s],” Hesse portrays pot as a net positive for the active set. The use of a cannabis supplement radically transformed Hesse’s life, he writes, turning him from “a pack-a-day sedentary slug... into an energized antelope who eats 10Ks for breakfast.” When combined with exercising, cannabis yielded “euphoric” effects, “that ha[d] nothing to do with health, vanity, or competition, but the simple, mystical joy of play.” This led Hesse to explore the shift from the Reagan-era “Just Say No” messaging about drugs to the current status quo, in which, according to Hesse, half of Americans consume cannabis. “A good deal of professional ultra-marathon runners,” he writes, “are big-time stoners,” citing the growing number of athletes who are open about their marijuana use, such as one former NBA player who estimated that 85% of pro ballers used it. While his indifference to doping scandals may raise some eyebrows, Hesse is at his best explaining the hypocrisy of criminalizing pot—while other potentially dangerous substances are legal—and how to use it responsibly. This enlightening deep-dive into the benefits of lighting up may even win over skeptics. (Sept.)