United States – Cannabis products will no longer be considered a banned drug for Division I athletes in championships, the NCAA declared on Tuesday, stating that it would be handling marijuana as it does with alcohol, as reported by The Hills.
Policy Changes Effective July 2021
The Division I Council also decided that cannabis products will be eliminated from the banned drug class and its championships and postseason participation in football starting from July 2021. The council stated that despite ongoing sanctions of athletes who tested positive for cannabinoids, these will cease.
“The NCAA drug testing program is intended to focus on the integrity of competition, and cannabis products do not provide a competitive advantage,” Josh Whitman, chair of the council, said. “The council’s focus is on policies centered on student-athlete health and well-being rather than punishment for cannabis use.”
The NCAA has steroid peptide hormone and masking agent testing throughout the calendar year. During championships, it also searches for narcotics, stimulants, and ‘recreational drugs,’ as stated on the website.
Continued Testing for Other Substances
Other banned substance categorizations are stimulants, narcotics as well as peptide hormones.
The use of cannabis amongst athletes became especially topical in 2021 after professional runner Sha’Carri Richardson failed a drug test for marijuana and therefore was not allowed to represent the USA in the Olympics. She has now been included in the team for the said event in 2024 after emerging as the winner in the U. S trials at the weekend.
Some of the advocates called for a new policy soon after she missed the team in 2021, but cannabinoids Categories: It is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency to this date except for cannabidiol (CBD).
Support from Congressional Cannabis Caucus
Co-founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus Rep. To which Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) ,celebrated the NCAA decision in a statement, as reported by The Hills.
“Finally, after 50 years of the failed war drugs, America is slowly and surely coming to her senses and it is only fitting that the NCAA lifts cannabis from- banned substance list as Sha’Carri Richardson qualifies for the 2024 Olympics, an achievement she made years ago but was disqualified for it. It’s encouraging to see reason prevail.