List of Gymnasts Who Smoke Weed

• Publicly reported cannabis cases appear uncommon – FIG media officer Philippe Silacci noted “there has only been a handful of positive tests for marijuana in his sport over the last 20 years”, though the record isn’t limited to the examples below
• The sport’s culture and demographics may be a factor – Younger peak age, strict coaching environments, and the precise motor control required may naturally deter use
• Modern involvement is primarily CBD-focused – The most prominent current gymnast connection is Gabby Douglas’s investment in CBD for athlete recovery, not THC use
• The landscape is more about policy than personal stories – Unlike sports with rich cannabis advocacy, gymnastics narratives are largely confined to historical testing incidents and regulatory debates
• For those interested in the plant itself, Herb’s Strain Guides offer a deep dive into the diverse world of cannabis effects and profiles

Before diving into this list, it’s important to understand why this sport stands apart. While sports like the NBA and MMA have numerous athletes who are open cannabis advocates or users, gymnastics remains an outlier. A student educational infographic hosted on Notre Dame’s site suggests that while marijuana poses a “serious risk” in high-speed sports like skiing, “its use in gymnasts may relieve anxiety surrounding scrutiny about their body image”. Despite this potential benefit, the reality is a culture that has, for various reasons, produced very few public stories. This list highlights five well-documented examples (not exhaustive) spanning from 2002 to the present.

Sean Townsend was a standout on the U.S. Men’s National Gymnastics team, even capturing a national championship title. In early 2002, he was part of a group of U.S. gymnasts who faced the sport’s early encounter with cannabis testing.

• Achievement Level: U.S. National Champion and member of the U.S. National Team
• Incident Year: 2002
• Test Result: Tested positive for cannabis in an unannounced out-of-competition test
• Consequence: Received a formal warning from the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) with no suspension. The federation noted that “subsequent offenses could be subject to a suspension of up to two years”
• Context: This incident occurred during a time when cannabis testing in gymnastics was still novel, and the substance’s role was not clearly defined within the sport’s anti-doping framework.

Townsend’s case, along with his teammates’, highlighted a moment of uncertainty in the sport’s approach to cannabis testing, a stance that would be formally challenged a decade later.

Brett McClure and Jason Gatson were Townsend’s teammates on the 2002 U.S. National Team. They were tested in the same sweep and shared the same outcome, making their stories intrinsically linked.

• Team Status: Both were elite members of the U.S. Men’s National Gymnastics team
• Incident Year: 2002 (same testing event as Sean Townsend)
• Test Result: Both tested positive for cannabis
• Consequence: Like Townsend, both received only a formal warning from FIG with no competitive penalties
• Legacy: Their names are forever tied to the first major publicized cannabis incident in U.S. elite gymnastics, illustrating a period of leniency before more structured policies emerged.

This trio of cases was the primary public evidence of cannabis use in U.S. gymnastics for nearly a decade, showing a sport that was still finding its footing on the issue.

Cory Marsh’s case is one of the better-documented modern cannabis incidents in gymnastics. A Canadian junior athlete competing in Acrobatic Gymnastics, his positive test in 2012 brought attention to how gymnastics federations approached cannabis enforcement.

• Discipline: Acrobatic Gymnastics (Men’s Pairs)
• Incident Year: 2012
• Competition: Acrobatic World Junior Championships in Orlando, Florida
• Test Result: Positive for THC
• Final Consequence: A 6-month suspension and a $1,000 fine
• Policy Context: FIG has argued in various contexts that “marijuana was not performance-enhancing in the sport”, contributing to broader debates about cannabis sanctioning in gymnastics

Marsh’s case became a widely cited example in gymnastics cannabis enforcement, alongside broader FIG/WADA policy debates. His suspension highlighted how the specific demands of a sport can influence anti-doping policy.

Gervasio Deferr represents perhaps the highest-profile cannabis case in gymnastics history. The Spanish gymnast was an Olympic champion who faced consequences that extended beyond suspension.

• Achievement Level: Olympic gold medalist (2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens – vault)
• Test Result: Tested positive for cannabis
• Consequence: Received sanctions that included implications for his competitive record
• Significance: As an Olympic champion, Deferr’s case demonstrated that cannabis testing and enforcement reached the sport’s highest levels

Deferr’s situation illustrates that cannabis-related incidents in gymnastics, while rare, have touched even the sport’s most decorated athletes.

Gabby Douglas is a name recognized worldwide. An Olympic gold medalist from both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games, she represents the modern face of gymnastics. Her connection to the cannabis world, however, is entirely through cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating compound.

• Olympic Achievements: Gold medalist in the individual all-around and team events at the 2012 London Olympics; team gold in Rio 2016
• Cannabis Connection: 2019 (brand launch period)
• Nature of Involvement: Investor and partner in Motive CBD, a company focused on athlete recovery
• Product Focus: The brand’s line includes topical creams and capsules marketed for muscle and joint support for active individuals
• Critical Distinction: Douglas’s public connection is through a hemp-derived CBD business; we did not find a public statement from her admitting THC use

Douglas’s involvement signals a shift in how former elite gymnasts are engaging with the plant—not as a recreational or performance substance, but as a wellness and recovery tool in their post-competitive lives. For those interested in similar wellness-focused products, browsing the Herb Products Catalog can be a helpful starting point.

The scarcity of cannabis stories in gymnastics is stark when held up against other sports. While many professional athletes have become vocal advocates for cannabis legalization, gymnastics has remained notably quiet on the topic. A medical review describes anecdotal clinical reports of “athletes including gymnasts… who claim smoking cannabis before play helps them to focus better“, though the paper notes these are anecdotes rather than proof of performance benefit. The combination of a younger athlete demographic, a highly disciplined and often scrutinized training environment, and the very real physical danger of impaired spatial awareness on apparatuses like the balance beam or high bar may create a powerful natural deterrent.

The evolution of cannabis in the gymnastics narrative is a short one, moving from the stern but consequence-free warnings of 2002 to the policy-defining suspensions of the 2010s, and finally to the business-minded, wellness-oriented CBD investment of a 2020 Olympian. This arc is far less dramatic and public than in other sports, but it is no less telling. It reflects a sport that has largely kept its relationship with the plant private and, in the public sphere, confined to the edges of its competitive and regulatory framework. For a sport so intensely focused on control, precision, and public image, the absence of a robust cannabis culture may be its own form of a public statement.

While the world of elite gymnastics offers few personal cannabis stories, the broader cannabis community is rich with resources for those looking to explore its potential for focus, relaxation, or recovery. Understanding your own needs is the first step. Herb’s comprehensive Dispensary Directory can help you locate a trusted source near you, while the in-depth Educational Guides provide practical guidance on everything from consumption methods to understanding product labels.