Is smoking weed before certain activities advisable, recommended, or permitted? Have you often thought about having a joint, bong, or edible before swimming, surgery, workouts, or similar activities, but are unsure if it will have detrimental effects?
Many people often ask these questions, and it’s an excellent idea to find out if using cannabis before participating in an activity is safe. After all, you don’t want to use cannabis and suffer negative effects.
In our article, we’ve examined some of the most common cannabis-before-activity questions people have asked to help you determine when you can really get high. Armed with this information, you can hopefully better decide if cannabis is right for a situation or if you should reconsider.
Smoking Weed Before These 5 Activities – Yes Or No Cheat Sheet
If you’re curious whether smoking weed before these activities is advisable, look at our cheat sheet below. To learn more about why or why not it is okay to smoke marijuana before these activities, continue reading below.
| Activity Name | Yes | No |
| Smoking Weed Before Surgery | ✔️ | |
| Smoking Weed Before Workout and Running | ✔️ | |
| Smoking Weed Before Bed | ✔️ | |
| Smoking Weed Before Work | ✔️ | |
| Smoking Weed Before A Tattoo | ✔️ |
Can You Smoke Weed Before Doing These Five Activities?
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the US despite many states making cannabis legal in certain instances medically or recreationally.
Statistically, it’s been determined that about 16 percent of Americans smoke marijuana, so it’s unsurprising that many people have questions about its uses before certain activities. Below you will find answers to whether or not smoking weed before certain activities is advisable or not.
- Smoking Weed Before Surgery
Unfortunately, many people believe it isn’t necessary to tell a physician or anesthesiologist they smoke weed before surgery. This is likely for the same reason most people won’t tell their doctor that they drink a glass of rosè or have a beer every night before bed.
This reasoning is flawed since studies have proven that cannabis has various side effects on the body and anesthesia medicines. Cannabis affects the central nervous system, so those who routinely use this plant need different amounts of anesthesia medicines. Even if a patient only smoked it once the day before surgery to calm their nerves, it could still impact anesthesia dosing requirements depending on how much cannabis is still in their system.
That’s why if you have smoked cannabis the night before surgery, you must tell your doctor or anesthesiologist about it. If you don’t, you risk not being administered the right amount, which could cause you to wake up on the operating table. Or it could cause any other side effects you and your doctor might not be aware of or prepared to encounter, like respiratory infections, increased postoperative pain, and a higher risk of opioid use after surgery.
- Smoking Weed Before Workout And Running
Very few studies surround cannabis use and exercise, so it’s difficult to determine whether smoking weed before a workout is a good idea. However, most people lean toward it being a bad idea because of its sedative-like and euphoric effects on the body that could lead to potentially dangerous and detrimental workouts.
Some users have found cannabis to help them with their workouts with regard to smoking before participating in a specific workout routine, while others avoid it at all costs. This could be because of how different people’s physiologies interact with cannabinoids in their systems and intense workout activities shortly after smoking weed.
Although there are very few studies, one in the reputable Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport reported that weed degrades peak performance in athletes. This finding could mean that individuals shouldn’t smoke this substance before a workout if they want to achieve the best results.
However, the research in this study did point out that the use of cannabis by athletes could help athletes with pain and recovery from injuries related to sports activities.
In addition, research has indicated that smoking cannabis before running has some benefits, but it doesn’t make people run faster or longer. Moreover, it could have negative side effects because tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) increases heart rate, leading to atrial flutters or arrhythmias and a heart attack, so be wary when combining the two activities.
- Smoking Weed Before Bed
According to the latest studies on cannabis use and sleeping habits, it’s been proven that smoking weed before bed can help some people with sleep disorders. This is because cannabis has THC, which typically acts as a sedative that helps calm individuals and eases them into sleep.
However, this isn’t always the case. Some people experience a longer and harder time falling asleep when smoking weed before going to bed. This is because cannabis can also have a stimulating effect on individuals, especially new users or who have not used weed for a very long time.
In addition, it’s also been determined that cannabis can have sleep-promoting effects because of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and how cannabidiol (CBD) reacts to these receptors. If cannabinoids bind to receptors, they send out ‘alerts’ telling the brain to increase levels of sleep-promoting adenosine. This suppresses the brain’s arousal system, allowing sleep to occur faster.
- Smoking Weed Before Work
According to a recent study, smoking weed before bed the night before work doesn’t have a bad effect on work performance. In fact, it doesn’t cause poor work performance, demotivation, or laziness. Even if an employee regularly smokes a joint after work, it will not hurt their performance the following day.
However, this same study revealed that smoking weed before work negatively impacts an individual’s ability to meet job requirements. According to the findings, those who smoked before work had difficulties concentrating, solving problems, and carrying out work-related tasks. In addition, smoking weed before work can lead to counterproductive behavior and decreased ability to help fellow colleagues. Essentially, smoking before work is not a good idea.
- Smoking Weed Before A Tattoo
Many people wonder if smoking before getting a tattoo will be helpful to quell their anxiety about the activity because cannabis has been shown to help anxiety. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Weed can relax an individual; it could make them more anxious and sensitive to pain – because of its effects on the central nervous system – if they smoke weed before the tattooing begins.
Some tattoo artists have even commented on customers changing their minds mid-tattoo about what a tattoo should be or where it should be placed after smoking weed before the session began. Ultimately, it is an individual’s decision if they get tattooed directly after smoking weed. Usually, if you are a regular cannabis user, it should not cause an adverse reaction, but if you have never tried it beforehand, it might be best to avoid it before getting a tattoo.
Wrap-Up On Smoking Weed Before Various Activities – The Truth About When To Safely Get High
Smoking cannabis before participating in most activities isn’t advisable. Although more studies are needed on the topic, it’s best to be cautious before using, ingesting, or smoking weed before an activity and to use your fair judgment.
Additionally, in most instances, it’s best to seek counsel with a doctor who can help you identify if smoking weed before an activity is the best course of action for you.
Moreover, when smoking cannabis before surgery, it’s prudent to always tell your doctor or anesthesiologist if you smoked before the surgery or at any point leading up to it to prevent dangerous healthcare situations.
