Yo, check it out fam. As more states in the US are legalizing that good ol’ cannabis for both medical and recreational use, the big North American professional sports leagues are starting to adapt to the times. You might be wondering if your favorite athletes are allowed to blaze up, so here’s a quick rundown of where different leagues stand on the matter.
First up, we got the NBA. Under the new seven-year collective bargaining agreement they signed recently, NBA players won’t be getting tested for cannabis no more. Testing was already paused since the 2019 – 2020 season ’cause of that COVID-19 situation, but now they straight up removed cannabis from their anti-drug testing program. So you know these ballers can light it up without worrying about getting called out.
Now let’s talk about the NFL. Unfortunately, cannabis is still a banned substance in the NFL for two reasons. First off, it’s still illegal at the federal level, and secondly, it’s like a bargaining chip for the next collective bargaining agreement. The current agreement runs all the way till 2030, so you know the league gonna be looking for some concessions from them players.
But hold up, even though they don’t test players between April 20 and August 9 (you know, that 420 vibe), there’s still fines for positive tests and a four-game suspension if a player tests positive four times. Damn, they really ain’t playing around with this stuff.
Moving on to baseball, or as we call it, MLB. They took cannabis off their banned substance list and players ain’t getting tested no more. But here’s the catch: if a player appears high during games, practices, workouts, meetings, or anything within their job scope, they gotta go through a mandatory evaluation that could include treatment. So it’s all good as long as they keep it together on the field.
Now let’s talk about hockey. The NHL does test players for cannabis, but get this, there ain’t no punishment for a positive test. They treat it like a health matter, so if a player’s levels are abnormally high, they might look at ’em for some treatment. They really just want these players to stay healthy and perform their best.
Alright, let’s move on to soccer, or as we say it here in the States, soccer. The MLS plays under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and you already know WADA ain’t cool with cannabis. So players in the MLS gotta deal with random tests and off-season drug screenings. Can’t be getting caught slippin’ if you wanna keep playing on that field.
Now let’s talk about the WNBA. These ladies still get tested for cannabis, but they got some leeway. Limited use is allowed and fines or suspensions will only come if they keep messing up again and again. So as long as they don’t overdo it, they good.
And check this out, the NWSL don’t even test for cannabis. These soccer players can freely puff on that green and even get sponsorship deals with cannabis brands. They really embracing that culture, you feel me?
Now let’s switch it up to golf. The PGA and LPGA Tours follow the standards of WADA when it comes to drug tests. They do ’em randomly to make sure these golfers ain’t cheating or getting too high before a tournament. But get this, back in 2019, golfer Matt Every got hit with a 12-week suspension ’cause he tested positive for cannabis. And get this, he had a medical prescription for it in Florida! Ain’t that messed up?
Alright, now let’s jump into the Octagon. In 2021, the UFC announced that fighters who test positive for cannabis won’t get punished. They finally realized that weed ain’t gonna make these fighters any less fierce, so they’re letting them do their thing.
Alright, we almost done here. NASCAR also does random drug tests on race weekends, and that includes cannabis. Gotta make sure these drivers stay focused on the track and not on getting too high.
And finally, we got tennis. Both the ATP and WTA tours subject tennis players to random drug tests following the standards of WADA. If they test over 150 nanograms per milliliter, that’s a positive result. Can’t be smokin’ too much if you wanna keep swinging them rackets, you know?
And there you have it, fam. That’s the breakdown of the cannabis policies in all the major North American sports leagues. Times are changing and it looks like more and more leagues are starting to chill out when it comes to that green herb. So next time you watch your favorite athletes tear it up on the field or in the ring, just remember that they might be getting their relaxation from a nice joint after the game. Stay lifted!
