ArticleSports health2026
Athletes and Medical Staff in Elite Contact Sports: a Quantitative Analysis of Use, Knowledge, and Attitudes Regarding Cannabinoids.
Article in Sports health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCannabis use among elite contact sport athletes increases with legal reform and commercial availability. Limited education in cannabinoid pharmacology, use, and risk persists among athletes and medical staff, fostering stigma and reducing evidence-based guidance and communication. HYPOTHESIS: Athletes use cannabis but perceive stigma and discomfort discussing cannabis with medical staff. STUDY
designQuantitative, descriptive cross-sectional surveys. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4.
methodsTwo anonymous online surveys were administered to elite and professional contact sport athletes (Canada, United States, Australia) and medical and training staff (February 2023 to July 2024). Descriptive statistics assessed demographics, use patterns, knowledge, education needs, attitudes, stigma, communication, and league policies.
resultsA total of 166 athletes (89.7% male, 35.2% aged 18-23 years) and 64 medical staff (physicians, athletic therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, etc) responded. Knowledge (pharmacology, interactions, dosing) was low. Overall, 56% of athletes currently used cannabinoids (81% having ever used), but only 21.7% knew the endocannabinoid system and 67.4% were unfamiliar with therapeutic dosing. Among medical staff, 59.5% were unfamiliar with mechanisms, only 14% were familiar with dosing protocols, and 71.4% lacked confidence in making treatment plans. Of the athletes, 86.5% believed cannabis had therapeutic value, 72.3% wanted education, and 74.1% favored qualified scientists as instructors. Of the medical staff, 79.5% reported strong educational need, with 100% of staff desiring athlete-specific cannabinoid education. Stigma and communication barriers were substantial: 81.3% of athletes perceived public stigma, 66.1% perceived staff stigma, and only 21.4% felt comfortable discussing cannabis with medical staff. Staff believed athletes would be honest if approached; however, <50% believed athletes trusted them enough to start the conversation. Both athletes and medical staff categorized cannabinoids as supplements or medications (unlike street drugs) and both supported legalization and a revision and update on league cannabis policies.
conclusionAthletes and medical staff exhibit parallel knowledge gaps and strong educational needs amid high interest, use, and significant communication barriers. Evidence-informed education and stigma-reducing strategies are urgently needed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Athletes increasingly use cannabinoids for pain, sleep, and recovery, while medical staff report insufficient training and low confidence. System-level education, communication, and policy updates may improve safety, decision-making, and trust.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.