August 24, 2026, 4:02 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Wiz Khalifa smokes so much that the air quality in Los Angeles might as well consist partly of THC. The musician claims to smoke 30 joints a day. But alongside his love for smoking and music, fitness has always been a constant. His Instagram bio reads “Kush and Athletics” and “I smoke pounds and lift pounds.” He’s always been fit, but since the end of July, you might think Khalifa’s Instagram account was taken over by Eliud Kipchoge (arguably the best long-distance runner of our time). FITBOOK editor Michel Winges shows you Khalifa’s new passion and wonders how smoking and running fit together.
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The New Love for Running
On June 28, Wiz Khalifa posted a photo dump on his personal Instagram account full of insights into his new love–running. Running by day, running by night, his running stats. He wrote in the post: “I recently started running and love it. On vacation, I did nothing but run. On Sunday, I ran 5 miles, the day before 3 miles.” Khalifa’s passion seems truly ignited. Since then, he has posted insights into his progress, his feelings about running, and his thoughts on the running community, sometimes multiple times a day.
One thing stands out. Anyone who thinks Khalifa has taken a break from smoking because of running is completely wrong. A big joint seems to be part of Khalifa’s pre-run routine. Decades of smoking don’t seem to hinder his progress in terms of speed and distance. At the start of his running journey, his pace was 5:59 minutes per kilometer according to his first running post. It took Khalifa just under 50 minutes to run 8.2 kilometers. On August 24, he posted that he ran 11.4 kilometers with a pace of 5:14 minutes per kilometer–an improvement of 45 seconds per kilometer. “I’m getting faster and faster. I don’t know if it’s getting more dangerous or if I shouldn’t worry. But either way, I’ll keep running,” says Khalifa.
“Smoke One, Run One”
On June 30, Wiz Khalifa talked about smoking and running. He received mixed reactions from the running community. On one hand, he was warmly welcomed. But coughing and puffing on a joint, Khalifa also noted some arrogance. Some apparently can’t understand how someone can smoke and run at the same time. He then called on all smoking runners to post their running times. He wanted to show that smokers can be just as fit and healthy as non-smoking runners.
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How Does Smoking Affect Running?
Unsurprisingly, the research is sparse. There are some studies on the relationship between cannabis use and athletic performance, but many are small, outdated, or methodologically weak. The most comprehensive assessment comes from a review in the journal “Sports Medicine” from 2021.1 The authors reviewed a wide range of existing research and concluded that there is no convincing evidence that THC improves endurance or running performance. It seems to be more of a disadvantage for athletes.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the active ingredient in cannabis responsible for the “high.” It affects mood, perception, and reaction time, among other things.
The review shows that in several studies, heart rate increased significantly after cannabis use. Simply put, the heart had to work harder without the participants running faster or performing better. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max), one of the most important markers for endurance fitness, was not improved by THC. Strength, muscular endurance, and other performance parameters also showed no advantages. Some participants even endured exertion slightly less under THC. However, the differences were usually small, and the authors emphasize that the overall data is too weak to make definitive statements about advantages or disadvantages.
In summary, the current evidence suggests that cannabis does not enhance running performance.
Why Do Some Runners Still Swear by Cannabis?
Researchers suspect that subjective perception plays a significant role. THC can relax, reduce anxiety, and make pain feel less intense. This can make a run feel more pleasant, even if actual performance remains objectively unchanged.
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And it must be said, looking at Wiz Khalifa’s development, it can at least be noted that smoking hasn’t apparently stopped him from making progress in running. His distances are getting longer, his times faster. While this is not evidence that cannabis enhances performance, Khalifa is likely an extreme case. He has been consuming large amounts of cannabis regularly for decades. For his body and daily life, it seems to have become the norm.