THE IMPACT OF CANNABIS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EXPERIENCE IN INSUFFICIENTLY ACTIVE ADULTS: EXPLORING PERCEIVED EXERTION, MINDFULNESS, AND ENJOYMENT

Abstract

Legalization of recreational cannabis has led to increased acceptance and incorporation of cannabis use into the daily lives of millions of Americans, leading researchers to wonder how individuals combine their cannabis use with other behaviors, such as physical activity. Early work established that individuals who use cannabis tend to combine it with physical activity at a notable rate. Their reasons for doing so may be due to subjective benefits (e.g., increased enjoyment, reduced perceived effort, greater experience of runner’s high effects) rather than objective benefits (e.g., enhanced performance). Indeed, research has shown that among active adults who use cannabis, acute cannabis use before exercise enhances many subjective aspects of physical activity compared to exercise without cannabis. However, few studies have systematically investigated the effects of cannabis on physical activity specifically among insufficiently active adults who regularly use cannabis, a group who may stand to benefit from interventions that make physical activity feel more enticing and rewarding. This remote, longitudinal crossover study compared participants' experiences of walks without cannabis to walks after acute, self-administered cannabis among insufficiently active adults who regularly use cannabis (N = 59, ages 21-65). The primary goal of this study was to determine whether cannabis impacted perceived exertion, mindfulness, and enjoyment during a low-impact, accessible physical activity (i.e., outdoor walk), and to characterize for whom those benefits existed. A walk with cannabis appeared to increase mindfulness, positive affect, and enjoyment more than a walk not preceded by cannabis, with no change to perceived exertion between conditions. Although positive experiences were associated with intentions to combine cannabis with physical activity and future physical activity engagement, total activity did not change from baseline to follow-up. The present study expanded the literature and showed that cannabis-related positive subjective experiences were not exclusive to habitual exercisers engaging in moderate-to-vigorous activity but extended to insufficiently active individuals doing lower-intensity physical activity as well. Although not prescriptive, these findings highlight the potential value of pairing an existing behavior, cannabis use, with a healthful behavior, physical activity, among insufficiently active adults.