In the editorial "Long story short," Aug. 12, a comment regarding local Olympian Nick Delpopolo asserts, "marijuana ... is hardly a performance-enhancing drug."
Some athletes do, however, report marijuana is a performance-enhancing drug. Athletes who use marijuana in this way experience a sense of "flow" when high and believe they play more fluidly and with ease. At the same time, such athletes may not think of this as "cheating" in the usual sense, as marijuana does not enhance muscle development, it doesn't seem to objectively make them faster or stronger or boost stamina.
Consider, however, four well-known effects of marijuana:
Time distortion — players high on marijuana may be more capable of responding to the pace of play.
Reduced anxiety — players high on marijuana may be more capable of dealing with the "pressure" of intense competition.
Enhanced body awareness — players may be able to fine-tune their athletic moves when high.
Sense of connectivity with others — players may be more capable of being a fully integrated part of a team when high.
Marijuana might — for some players — be more than a recreational drug. It could be the key to good performance. This is an area ripe for research. We should not rule out marijuana as a performance-enhancing drug.
DOUGLAS STELLATO KABAT
Niskayuna