Alcohol Vs. Marijuana – Hurting Or Enhancing? By Dr. Margaret Goodman THE FIGHT DOCTOR
“It has been shown that performance skills can be impaired for as long as 24 hours after marijuana usage, which casts doubt on the commonly held belief that the social use of marijuana the evening prior to an athletic event will not affect performance.”
how it affected their performance or career. NOTE: A fighter doesn’t have to chronically consume large amounts of alcohol for it to affect performance. Binge drinking or frequent small amounts can also have serious consequences. As for marijuana, in an ESPN series called “Drugs and Sport,” New York University School of Medicine Professor Dr. Gary Wadler said, “It has been shown that performance skills can be impaired for as long as 24 hours after marijuana usage, which casts doubt on the commonly held belief that the social use of marijuana the evening prior to an athletic event will not affect performance.” Dr. Wadler, co-author of the book Drugs and the Athlete, listed some of the short- term health effects of marijuana/THC: • Memory and learning problems • Difficulty concentrating • Distorted perception involving vision, sound, touch and time
C annabinoids, a family of chemical compounds that includes the active ingredients in marijuana, remain a category prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA). However, little by little, many commissions and anti-doping organizations have adopted creative ways to ignore the results. Some raise the laboratory threshold to avoid an adverse result. Others minimally penalize athletes when THC (the substance mainly responsible for marijuana’s “high”) is discovered via a drug screen. The shift is partly due to marijuana’s prevalence and acceptance in society, the fact that it can be detected even 2-4 weeks after use or the idea that it simply doesn’t enhance performance. While alcohol has never been included on the WADA prohibited list, it too can have a “high” similar to the one associated with THC. Why are cannabinoids prevented by WADA and alcohol is permitted? Alcohol, even in small amounts, can affect the brain’s communication pathways, including those that govern memory and balance. It can also affect the peripheral nervous system, resulting in chronic numbness of the arms and legs. In addition, alcohol can cause an irregular heartbeat, damage the heart or produce a drop in blood pressure when standing. We all know about liver damage from alcohol, but it can also cause muscle wasting/shrinkage. The National Cancer Institute indicates there is a strong scientific consensus that alcohol can cause several cancers with chronic use. It can also contribute to anxiety and depression.
In a September 13, 2021, Sports Medicine article on cannabis and athletic performance, the authors critically reviewed the effects of cannabis, THC and CBD (cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis). They discovered no evidence that these substances were performance-enhancing, but they may assist in improving sleep, pain and even traumatic brain injury. In a September 28, 2025, online article in Applied Performance, strength and conditioning expert Dr. Ramsey Nijem summarized current research and offered the following advice to athletic trainers: “Do not recommend cannabis for performance – it’s not ergogenic [enhancing physical performance, stamina and recovery] and may be detrimental.” When the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) began in 2011, we made the decision to remove cannabinoids from our testing panel. Note that per WADA, it is currently still prohibited “in-competition” starting 12 hours prior to the event. There are many substances not on the WADA list that should be added, just as there are things like cannabinoids that need to be removed. In addition to alcohol, prescribed substances like thyroid medication and anti-anxiety drugs like Valium and Xanax are not prohibited. I understand it takes time and extensive research to make these determinations. For example, thyroid medications are not on the list because test results can’t differentiate between our own thyroid levels or those from the drug. However, if something is wrong, it is wrong. And fighters as well as other athletes shouldn’t be penalized from an adverse marijuana test. There have been
extreme examples, most notably when Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. received a nine- month suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in 2013 and was initially fined $900,000 – later reduced to $100,000. Several years ago, I argued unsuccessfully before the NSAC that marijuana should be removed, as it was not a PED. I am glad that more recently they have changed their opinion and pretty much disregard its presence. In speaking with fighters, I know that many like marijuana to help them relax. But as described by Dr. Wadler, using it too close to an event – especially due to the fact that it can remain in the system for some time – may directly or indirectly contribute to a loss by affecting reaction time and coordination. If marijuana is performance-inhibiting due to its side effects, is that a sufficient reason to leave it on the WADA list? Or is it another reason to add alcohol? In many ways, alcohol is much more harmful. If I could advise a fighter to refrain from frequent use of a substance, it is alcohol. Alcohol has been heavily studied. But researchers honestly state that more studies are needed to determine the complete effects of marijuana. After reviewing the available literature, it’s my view that it’s time for cannabinoids to be removed by WADA, and the only reason a fighter should ever be penalized by a commission for its use should be if they were incapacitated at the weigh-in or fight time! Dr. Margaret Goodman is the former chief ringside physician for the Nevada State Athletic Commission and is the founder/president of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. She co-hosts the Fighter Health Podcast.
•
Thinking and problem-solving difficulties Increased heart rate and drop in blood pressure Sudden feelings of anxiety, including panic attacks and paranoia Impairs skills requiring hand-eye coordination and a fast reaction time Reduces motor coordination, tracking ability and perceptual accuracy Impairs concentration and creates the perception that time moves more slowly Skill impairment may last up to 24-36 hours Reduces maximal exercise capacity and increases fatigability NO PERFORMANCE- ENHANCING POTENTIAL
•
•
Regarding performance: •
•
•
•
•
Weight gain from alcohol is thought to occur indirectly. Because the body gives precedence to burning calories contained in alcohol,
•
excess calories from the foods you eat sit around and are converted to body fat. Many boxers, like Andre Ward, have been open about prior alcohol use. Although many fighters drink, no one mentions
Possible long-term effects: •
Respiratory effects (if inhaled) Compromised immune system Chronically affects judgment and loss of ambition
• •
88 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
RINGMAGAZINE.COM 89
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker