NCAA Announces Milder Guidelines for Cannabis Use Among College Athletes

By Maureen Meehan

The NCAA is relaxing its guidelines on THC levels and positive marijuana tests for student-athletes, according to a statement released by the organization on Friday.

The current allowable amount of THC is 35 nanograms per milliliter. Effective immediately, this will be increased to 150 nanograms per milliliter per release.

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An NCAA student-athlete can test positive for marijuana three times without losing eligibility. However, if a student athlete tests positive, the school must provide a “management plan and education” for the player.

Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, under rules recommended by a key committee, student-athletes who are part of the NCAA would no longer be automatically disqualified from playing after testing positive for marijuana, the statement said Saturday.

If the student-athlete continues to follow and adhere to the plan, they may test positive two more times without impact on their lost eligibility. If the student-athlete does not comply with the regulations and tests positive, the consequence of losing eligibility for part of the season is possible.

“The reconsideration of the NCAA approach to cannabis testing and management is consistent with member feedback on how to better support and educate student-athletes in a society with rapidly evolving public health and cultural views regarding cannabis use,” explains dr Brian Hainline, the NCAA’s chief medical officer, said in a statement.

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“Marijuana is not considered a performance-enhancing substance, but it remains important for member schools to engage student-athletes in addiction prevention and provide management and support where necessary.”

These new guidelines are the latest in a wave of changes made by the NCAA since the 2020-21 academic and athletic season.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.