Oftentimes when speaking about drug use by athletes, the attention goes straight to performance-enhancing drugs, while many fail to consider the presence and use of recreational drugs. Recreational drugs such as amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and heroin hold a spot on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list. These drugs are sometimes used by athletes and can have detrimental effects on one’s health without benefiting their capabilities when participating in a sport.
Of the recreational drugs listed above, the only one that can potentially offer a slight athletic performance enhancement is amphetamine. It is able to suppress signals of fatigue in the body, increase self-confidences, and increase alertness. However, use of this highly addictive recreational drug has declined due to publicity surrounding its negative side effects. These adverse side effects include an increased blood pressure, an increased heart rate, headaches, hallucinations, irritability, and impaired judgement. Many feel that the consequences of amphetamine use outweigh the benefits greatly when used in sports.
Another drug listed on the WADA’s list is cannabis. Cannabis, also known as marijuana, can have some harsh effects on athletes. Along with other depressants, it causes one to have slower reaction times and reduces one’s lung capacity, making it harder to get the oxygen one’s body needs during exercise. In addition, cannabis reduces one’s motor activity, making it difficult to coordinate oneself during exercise. These effects would not only be harmful to one’s well-being, but also to his or her athletic performance in a sport.
Cocaine is an additional drug that is detrimental to one’s capabilities when playing a sport. In contrast to cannabis, cocaine is a stimulant, meaning that it makes one more alert, increases one’s heart rate, and appears to give one more energy. However, this quick peak in energy is brief. The effects do not last long and therefore have no performance advantage to athletes playing sports.
Ecstasy, is a drug typically used in social situations, which makes it quite puzzling why it shows up on the WADA prohibited list. Many feel it is simply implausible for this hallucinogen to be used in a sports situation.
Lastly, heroin, a highly addictive opioid, is present on the WADA list. Heroin can suppress breathing by altering the neurochemical activity in the brain stem, where breathing and heartbeat are controlled. This makes it harder for one to breathe due to lack of oxygen. Many believe that heroin’s highly addictive nature on top of its side effects makes it particularly dangerous and extremely unlikely for effective use to heighten athletic capabilities in high school sports.
Recreational drugs such as these five can be just as much of a threat to high school athletes as performance enhancing drugs due to their adverse side effects. These drugs do not only harm one’s athletic performance, but also his or her school life. Drug use can cause a decline of grades, a lack of motivation, a lack of interest in a future career, and an increased chance of dropping out. Recreational drug use and failure in school go hand in hand, as do recreational drug use and a decline in athletic performance. No game or sport is worth taking a drug in order to perform better and thus sacrificing one’s well-being.