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Study finds weed users get more active than abstainers

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Step aside, harmful imagery of a couch potato stoner flattened into flapjack.

Cannabis use of all kinds correlates to increased light physical activity—like, say, hacky-sack, disc golf, yoga, or bedtime activities. Just follow the science.

A large, new study found cannabis use in adults correlates to increases in certain types of physical activity. And no amount of pot use increased sedentary behavior compared to a control group.

This research builds on previous studies debunking cannabis’ bad reputation for creating couch potatoes. 

researchers found that daily blazers had a 4% increased chance of light physical activity. 

Cannabis’ real impact on activity 

The recent study (Xue, 2024), published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, offers the largest sample size looking into this question to date. It included 4,666 adults aged 18 to 59. 

To learn more, researchers in this study analyzed data from FitBit-type devices—wrist-worn accelerometers—that track physical activity levels 24/7. They also included data on self-reported cannabis use from the last 30 days. 

By comparing these two factors, they determined whether self-reported cannabis use correlates with increases or decreases in sedentary behavior, light physical activity, or moderate to vigorous activity. 

The researchers also controlled for factors that could muddy the results, like co-use of other drugs like alcohol, race and poverty, and medical factors. 

Tap the image to peruse the readers’ choices

Cannabis tied to more activity—not less

The results (both before and after adjustments) found recent cannabis use did not cause couch potato-ism. 

Scientists did not find an association between weed use and increases in daily sedentary time. Instead, researchers found that daily blazers had a 4% increased chance of light physical activity. 

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The results also showed no differences in sleep time or moderate to vigorous daily activity between those who used cannabis and those who didn’t.

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Age did shift the associations. When broken down into two groups—18-39 year olds, and 40-59 year olds—some differences stood out. 

Both groups of tokers moved more than average. But after adjusting for age, only the youths got moving—the 18-39 year olds. Still, ganja did not make the older group slack off. The 40-59 year-old tokers showed no differences in sedentary behavior or physical activity from the control group of abstainers of the same age. 

These results suggest that cannabis use may increase light physical activity for young adults, but have no significant effect on activity by mid-life. Regardless, there is no evidence here that cannabis will leave you stuck to your couch. 

Frequent cannabis users moved more than lightweights

Does Oregon have good Jack? You bet. Jack Herer from Midnight Fruit Co, Oregon. (Ryan Herron/Leafly)
An energetic Jack Herer from Midnight Fruit Co, Oregon. (Ryan Herron/Leafly)

Researchers also looked at whether participants puffed lightly, moderately, or tough.

None of the smokers—light, medium, or heavy—sat around more than the non-smokers. And get this—the frequent smokers went on more hikes than the occasional smokers. 

To repeat: the cannabis-using groups were not more sedentary than controls. Occasional cannabis use was more associated with sedentary time than those who used cannabis frequently.

The authors suggest this may reflect different motivations for cannabis use (such as frequent medical use vs occasional recreational use). It also might have to do with daily smokers better tolerating and incorporating cannabis than the occasional party puffer.

What’s your motivation?

While encouraging, this study did have a few limitations. 

For one thing, it relied on self-reported cannabis use which may introduce biases. It also didn’t include factors like the motivation for use. This factor might shift things, given that people sometimes use cannabis to treat conditions that limit physical activity—or sometimes as an aid for exercise. 

Reviewers on Leafly describe smoking a bowl, wanting to stretch, and get some gardening done. And good for them.

Background: A decades-old, pernicious myth of Reefer Laziness 

The anti-drug movement posits that using too much weed will leave you lazy and sedentary.

Perhaps you even remember this classic DARE ad, where weed flattens one girl into a couch. Even the family dog started talking trash in later ads. 

Thankfully the Xue, 2024 study is starting to get at reality.

We know that being sedentary is tied to a lot of negative health outcomes, including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. And in the US, most adults need to move around more each day. So, if cannabis use does lead to being sedentary, using it would be an added health risk. 

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There has been some evidence (Vancampfort, 2019) pointing to increases in sedentary behavior (Doggett, 2019) for teens using cannabis from ages 12-18. 

It suggests that cannabis-using teens spend more time on the internet, texting, or playing games. While this is much different than melting into an unrecognizable blob on the couch (as the DARE propaganda suggests), it does cause some reason for concern. Still, this evidence doesn’t take into account factors like mental health which could explain both early cannabis use and sedentary lifestyles. 

The good news—legalization causes teen use to go down; for a variety of reasons including requiring valid ID for purchase.

Adult studies have had more mixed findings. For example, one study (Vidot, 2017) found adult cannabis use correlated to less physical activity. But a longer, more recent study (Smith, 2021) found that cannabis use correlates to MORE physical activity.

Now, the biggest study so far suggests that cannabis does not correlate to being a lazy loser. If anything, it may help you get a little more activity in your day.

See you at the Frolf course. Fore!

Ten fun light activities to do high

Low angle view of a womans step as she walks on a road lined with beautiful colorful autumn trees with sunlight coming through the leaves.
(Gajus/Adobe Stock)
  • Go for a walk or hike
  • Get some chores done
  • Get out into the garden
  • Play kickball with the kids
  • Play four-square
  • Neighborhood litter clean-up
  • Play some hacky-sack
  • Hit the disc golf course
  • Yoga and stretching
  • Complete our list—type in your favorite light activity when lit in the comments below.



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Colorado’s November ballot will have seven citizen initiatives, from abortion rights to ranked-choice voting

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Colorado voters are set to weigh in on ballot questions related to abortion rights, veterinary services, mountain lion trophy hunting and an overhaul of the state’s election system in November.

The deadline to finalize the state’s ballot is coming Friday, but all of the citizen initiatives — meaning ballot questions pursued by members of the public, rather than the legislature — were finalized late last week. State election officials certified that the final ones had received enough petition signatures after clearing earlier regulatory hurdles.

Nine ballot measures from the public have been approved. But two of those — the property tax-related initiatives 50 and 108 — are both set to be withdrawn by sponsors as part of negotiations with the governor’s office and the state legislature, which on Thursday passed another property tax relief bill at the end of a special session.

Read the rest of this story on TheKnow.DenverPost.com.



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Best Tips For Outdoor Exercise In The Heat

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Summer is the time to head outdoors and have fun.  Whether swimming, pickle ball, sports, gardening or maintaining your walk/run schedule…the weather is bright, the days are long and you aren’t bundled up in heavy coat. But sometimes the heat can make it daunting…and with more heat waves, you have to take some precautions.  Here are teh best tips for outdoor exercise in the heat.

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Common sense says be careful and avoid the hottest part of the day. Usually around 4 pm is when the heat peaks, so between 1-5 is the worst time.  You shouldn’t exercise with the same intensity and take frequent breaks, which is perfect if you are playing a sport or gardening.  Water is essential, so drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration is a key factor in heat illness. Fluids helps your body sweat and cool down by staying well-hydrated with water.  In fact, sweating can release endorphins in the brain which make people feel good.

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Photo by Tamara Bellis via Unsplash

Manage your day, do activities in the early morning or late afternoon/evening.  According a study, during hot days, the best option is to run in the early morning. This is especially true in urban locations which have concrete buildings soak up the sun throughout the day and may make late in the day runs hotter than expected.

In order to acclimatize to the weather successfully, the process must be gradual. Head out for your run earlier than usual, with your water bottle, and complete your a shorter and gentler version of your workout. Check your heart rate and your level of heat and continue to do this until you feel like you’re feeling back to normal.

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Photo by Jad Limcaco via Unsplash

In order to acclimatize to the weather successfully, the workout process should be gradual. Start your activities earlier than usual, with your water bottle, and complete your a shorter and gentler version of your sports/workout/ tournament. Consider a “warm up period” where you aren’t keeping score.

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An icy drink beforehand, like a slushie or a smoothie, might make your outdoor exercise more pleasant. According to researchers, you should aim to drink 16 ounces of cold fluid 20 minutes before you go out for your run or an activities sport.  Avoid alcohol until you are ready to cool down.

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While it doesn’t keep you from overheating, wearing sunscreen can help you prevent feeling the heat when you are done. You also want to dress in layers and nothing to tight to give your body a chance to breath.

If you are starting to feel nausea, dizziness or cramps, you could be overheating. Check your heart rate and your level of heat and continue until you feel like you’re feeling back to normal. If you have symptoms, stop the workout and seek shade and some tap water.  If possible, work out with a partner.



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The Truth About Marijuana And Muscle Mass

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A lot of time is spent in the guy working on chest and legs…but what about marijuana and muscle mass?

When you are young, it is easier to work out and look good. But if you are into competing or just want to look great, it still take discipline, diet and determination. As you age, you have to focus on it even more, but is using a little weed every now and then undermining your efforts?  What is the truth about marijuana and muscle mass.

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The good news is, all a man has to do is fix his diet and dedicate time to cardio and strength training, and he can get himself back into fighting shape. You can’t turn back the clock, but you can wind it up again. In fact, many fitness conscious men claim to be in the best condition of their lives around middle age. It takes a lot of work to reach the goal though. After all, the body of an older male just doesn’t respond and recover like it did when 20. Which is a key reason men, especially older ones, have to be careful not to do anything that can destroy their gains. 

want to get fit in 2018 cannabis can help
Photo by Brodie Vissers via Burst

Marijuana is legal to over 50% of the population. And it is starting a new heathly “ish” trend by having people drink less and consume more.  The beer companies are the first to feel the pain, but with Gen Z really slowing up on drinking, more changes are coming. Since cannabis can help with a workout, more fitness-minded people are open to adding it to the routine. Some athletes swear it makes workouts more productive, some use it as part of their recovery process (to combat inflammation), and others just do it because it is fun, relaxing and doesn’t come with the mega-calorie count of alcoholic beverages.

As men age, there can be a drop in testosterone, the male sex hormone produced in the testes and adrenal glands. If testosterone levels drop, it makes it difficult to build lean muscle mass, maintain bone density and create an Insta worthy chiseled physique. Avoiding things like alcohol and fatty foods can help keep testosterone in check. So can lifting heavy weights. There is some research out there, however, suggests consuming marijuana might be harmful to testosterone levels.

workouts
Photo by Flickr user ThoroughlyReviewed

But what is the marijuana and muscle mass. Can the herb, something with therapeutic properties, really sabotage your fitness goal?  Research has not given an answer. But it does seem light or moderate use is harmless toward your muscle goal. Heavier yes may have an impact, but more research needs to be done.

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A study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology says it could: “Cannabinoid administration acutely alters multiple hormonal systems, including the suppression of the gonadal steroids, growth hormone, prolactin, and thyroid hormone and the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,” researchers wrote. This means marijuana users might have a tougher time keeping the testosterone levels needed to get ripped. But researchers admit that “the effects in humans have been inconsistent,” and they believe “tolerance” may even play a role. 

fitness
Photo by Greg Roebuck

Other studies have found heavy marijuana use can lead to dramatic reductions in testosterone, while some have shown otherwise. One study indicated testosterone levels decrease after consuming weed, but those levels seem to return to normal after 24 hours. All in all the ill-effects of marijuana on testosterone remain a mystery. Still, it is more likely a man will harm his testosterone production with a junk food dieand a lack of exercise rather than smoking a moderate amount of marijuana.  

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Men in their forties trying to get back into shape should consult with a doctor and have their testosterone levels checked. There are many replacement therapies available for men. It is important to be forthright with your healthcare provider about any marijuana use, as treatment may need to be altered to account for this variable. There’s a chance it won’t matter to them at all.  

If you are worried about marijuana destroying your gains, don’t. With the proper focus on eating right and a consistent workout regimen, your body should respond positively, with or without pot.



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