Cannabis and the Las Vegas Grand Prix Experience

Comments about the strong smell of marijuana (Cannabis) persisted at last weekend’s 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, similar to the previous year. The prevalence of the smell was again noted by drivers and spectators throughout the event.

Franco Colapinto (Williams): Joked that a doping test would be problematic, saying, “I think if they do doping now, all positive. I swear to you dude”.
Sergio Pérez (Cadillac): Noted that the smell was “very noticeable around the circuit” and that the “amount is incredible”.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull): Recalled the scent from 2024, when he jokingly said he felt “quite high in the car” because the smell was “quite extreme”

Grandstands fill early on race weekends, long before the first practice session or support race begins. People line up with team flags, portable chairs, and coolers, ready to spend hours at the circuit.

Conversations move from tire strategy to driver form and then to food, drinks, and how to relax. As more regions change cannabis laws, some fans now fold cannabis use into their race day habits.

Many people who follow racing also follow cannabis trends at home, including stronger concentrates and new consumption methods. One product that comes up often among experienced users is Bulk THCa diamonds, concentrated crystals designed for dabbing.

These concentrates can deliver very strong effects from a small amount, which changes how race fans should plan days. To protect themselves and others, fans need clear facts about cannabis, motorsports rules, and safe travel choices.

Conversations move from tire strategy to driver form and then to food, drinks, and how to relax. As more regions change cannabis laws, some fans now fold cannabis use into their race day habits.

How Cannabis Shows Up Around The Track

Legal cannabis markets have grown across several regions, and race events now sit inside that broader social change. At many events, you can see shirts or hats with cannabis branding beside long standing motorsport logos.

Some fans use edibles in campsites or hotel rooms, while others prefer vaporizers or small portable rigs. Track policies vary, so what is allowed at one circuit might bring trouble at another event entirely.

Public health agencies warn that cannabis can slow reaction time, affect coordination, and change short term judgment for drivers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that driving after cannabis use raises crash risk for many people.

That concern applies just as much to race fans leaving a parking lot as it does to daily commuters. Even people who feel steady may still react more slowly, especially after strong concentrates or mixed substance use.

Some circuits ban cannabis entirely on their property, even where local law allows possession away from the venue. Others prohibit visible smoking or vaping in the stands, which keeps smoke away from children and people with asthma.

Fans who use concentrates often choose to do so at hotels or campsites, rather than risk conflict with staff. Checking venue rules before race weekend avoids surprises, long walks back to parking, and tension at security gates.

What THCA Diamonds Are And How They Behave

Understanding the importance of concentrates on safety starts by understanding how THCA works. THCA, also known as tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is produced naturally in the raw cannabis state prior to being converted to psychoactive THC through heat, usually through the process of dabbing or vaporizing.

The psychoactive component of cannabis typically associated with smoked and vaped cannabis does not occur when THCA is heated, but once it is heated, it rapidly converts to THC and has a stronger effect.

Terpene blends are used by producers when creating THCA diamonds as they provide the added flavors and aromas, while not affecting the THC strength.

Since THCA diamonds have such a high purity level, a small dab will produce an equivalent amount of THC as if you were to take 5 to 6 strong pulls from a regular vaporizer. Many consumers find themselves underestimating the impact of moving from smoking flower to dabs, and experience overwhelmed effects faster than they expect.

For motorsports fans, such potency matters because race days are long, hot, and often include travel before and after. Someone who takes a strong dab near midday may still feel slower or more distracted when driving hours later.

Edibles and concentrates also make it harder to judge timing, since effects can last for many hours afterward. That is one reason many experienced consumers reserve strong products for home nights, not busy live events.

Law, Safety, And Driving After Cannabis Use

Traffic agencies stress that drug impaired driving threatens everyone on the road, whether drugs are legal or not. Cannabis can slow coordination and reaction times, which matters both at highway speeds and in heavy traffic lines.

Drivers who feel slightly off may still misjudge distances or timing, even if they believe they feel normal. Those small errors become risky when cars sit close together near race venues or merge from crowded parking lots.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that many drugs, including cannabis, can impair safe driving. Its guidance notes that drivers under the influence often have slower judgment and weaker coordination, even at low doses.

That message matches what motorsports fans already know from racing, where fractions of a second can change everything. If a driver needs full focus to handle a braking zone, they also need it when merging on a freeway.

For motorsports fans, this plays out both on long highway drives and on smaller roads near the venue. Traffic often slows after a race, tempers can flare, and tired drivers make mistakes, even when sober.

Adding cannabis, especially strong concentrates or edibles, raises the odds of misjudging gaps, braking late, or drifting lanes. The safest choice is to separate any cannabis use from any driving, even if it means adjusting race day habits.

Practical Guidelines For Race Fans Who Use Cannabis

Many motorsports fans who use cannabis only want to relax, enjoy racing, and return home without problems. That outcome becomes more likely when people talk through their plans before race weekend, instead of improvising on the day.

Groups can decide who will drive, who plans to consume, and where consumption will happen during the event schedule. Clear expectations reduce last minute arguments in parking lots and help friends protect one another from risky choices.

Simple guidelines help cannabis use fit around motorsports without turning the trip itself into the most dangerous part. Groups that treat the following points as non negotiable ground rules tend to have smoother, safer race weekends.

Have a sober driver for the entire day, from the first drive out to the final return home.
Skip cannabis completely if you know you will need to drive, even several hours after the main event.
Avoid mixing cannabis with alcohol or sedating medicines, since combined effects can surprise even experienced and informed users.
Keep concentrates such as THCA diamonds at home if plans include unfamiliar roads, heavy traffic, or late night driving.
Plan overnight stays near the circuit when using strong concentrates, so nobody feels pressure to drive while affected.

Balancing Race Day Excitement With Cannabis Safety

Writing these rules down or sharing them in group chats also keeps everyone honest once race day arrives. Motorsports culture rests on respect for skill, safety, and shared experiences, and cannabis culture can sit beside that respectfully.

Fans who understand products such as THCA diamonds, know their own limits, and plan travel choices carefully protect everyone nearby. By keeping cannabis use separate from driving and staying alert to venue rules, fans can enjoy racing with fewer risks.

That blend of passion and responsibility helps motorsports remain exciting for spectators while streets around tracks stay safer.