Comments on: MLB, NBA, and NFL’s Policy on Cannabis

By: Calegero Desierto

Calegero Desierto — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 20:14:00 +0000

Good job Team Cashinbis! Keep this coming.

By: Tim Strombel

Tim Strombel — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 00:04:00 +0000

Mark. First off thanks for the comment. As far as I know policies among these sports are more reactive than proactive. Meaning unless someone gets a DUI or something related, I don’t see any systems in place for punishment. However, once a player breaks the law in an alcohol related case, I do believe leagues institute follow up testing as I’ve seen examples in MLB and the NFL. I’ll follow up with more information as it evolves!

By: Mark Tele

Mark Tele — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 14:08:00 +0000

I am now an official fan of the NHL!
Cannabis has medicinal properties that can help athletes deal with various injuries without using harmful drugs. I use it for repetitive strain. Do any of these leagues test for excessive alcohol use? – it’s certainly more of a problem, has side-effects, can be addictive and has very little medicinal value.

By: Just Right Races

Just Right Races — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 15:09:00 +0000

The federal status is indeed a key piece of getting cannabis off the banned lists. If the NIH (and possibly the USOC or USADA themselves) could get money to do proper research on cannabis’ effects in athletes I bet it would provide some legitimacy the leagues are waiting for. Thanks for bringing this topic into discussion.

By: Tim Strombel

Tim Strombel — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 16:07:00 +0000

I think you bring up some good points on the disparity between the major sports in America, not to mention larger governing bodies like the Olympics. Purely talking about US sports, it’s very interesting to see the discrepancy from league to league in regards to policy and enforcement. I don’t see any of the policies changing in the near future, especially till more progress is made with federal legislation. I truly think the leagues are aware of the medical benefits to the players, but there is simply too much social stigma and conflict within the laws to allow it. It will certainly be interesting to follow future negotiations and we will be updating this article as news come out!!

By: Just Right Races

Just Right Races — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 23:49:00 +0000

Great piece! I’ve read up on this topic from the perspective of sports that follow the WADA-USADA guidelines. Over the course of my reading I’ve been bemused and dismayed at the maze of rules and punishments that amateur athletes and those in USADA/WADA-governed sports have to navigate.

College athletes have to contend with the NCAA and their school, which in many cases contradict each other. An athlete that competes in college and goes to the Olympics could have WADA, the NCAA and their institution to answer to. Then there are professional “clubs” like the Nike Oregon Project (recently in the news for doping) that possibly have corporate policies to follow on top of a sport’s governing body.

Going back to American professional sports, imagine what a two-sport athlete like Bo Jackson would’ve had to contend with. What if he consumed during the overlap between early football season and the MLB post-season, and both sports caught him? Who gets “jurisdiction”?

That may be a far-fetched scenario, but it goes to show that if sports bodies can’t be consistent on the use of cannabis then let it go.