MuchMoreThanMuscle saidHym, interesting. Do you know with certainty if they were taking other types of drugs? Were or are they taking stimulants or something to enhance athletic performance? I would suspect they are. If they are smoking pot before a sport it is probable they are doing other things as well.
Out of the dozens of people I have encountered who smoked pot ALL of them behaved in a languid manner. I did not know anyone who smoked marijuana that reacted as though they took a stimulant.
Technically speaking, pot is, in fact a stimulant.
I can personally tell you from my own experience that it keeps me awake and makes my attention to detail far more intense. It can make my mind race on occasion and allows me to work on music in a way that other substances (alcohol, etc.) can't begin to match (in a good way).
That said, would I use it before going to the gym, or a class, driving a motor-vehicle, or attending a family-function? Definitely not. Just because it has certain positive effects for me in some circumstances does not make it universal, nor would I advocate it's usage for everyone. Everyone's body/brain chemistry reacts uniquely to all substances in some way.
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THC in marijuana has been shown to be a CNS stimulant in at least the following manners, to date:
a- Stimulation of the appetite centers of the brain
b- Stimulation of the pleasure centers of the brain
c- Stimulation of the bodies natural defenses to reduce free radicals caused by injury to the brain and from other damage -- the leading cause of injury due to stroke is injury due to free-radicals-
While certain other compounds of marijuana have been found to be soporiphic (sleep inducing); anti inflamatory; muscle and spasm relaxing; all inducing a more relaxed state, marijuana is not a CNS depressant.