The NBA deal would eliminate THC drug testing and allow player investment in MJ companies

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) are helping usher in a new era in sports and cannabis with a new, tentative deal.

While the deal still needs to be ratified by players and team governors before it’s official, it looks like the NBA will not only remove cannabis from its list of prohibited substances for players – it also plans to allow players to use cannabis- Promote businesses and invest in cannabis companies, as reported by The Athletic.

These new details emerge from a seven-year collective bargaining agreement that came together last weekend. The agreement would formally codify the league’s decision to temporarily suspend cannabis testing for the past three seasons and officially remove cannabis drug testing requirements for athletes.

The NBA’s New Way Forward

The move is a long time coming. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver signaled back in 2020 that the federation’s temporary guidelines could one day become permanent after cannabis testing was initially suspended.

“We decided that with all the things that were happening in society, with all the pressure and stress that the players were under, we didn’t have to act like Big Brother now,” Silver said at the time. “I think society’s views on marijuana have changed to some extent.”

In 2021, Weedmaps also announced its partnership with NBA star Kevin Durant, joining forces on a multi-year partnership aimed at destigmatizing cannabis and demonstrating the plant’s potential to support “athlete well-being and recovery.”

While other professional sports leagues have steadily moved in a similar direction, the NBA stands out in its goal of allowing players to promote and invest in cannabis companies. The deal would also allow players to invest in NBA and WNBA teams, as well as sign non-gambling endorsement deals with sports betting companies.

Revitalizing the conversation about cannabis and sports in the NBA

The conversation about cannabis and sport has reached new heights as the industry continues to grow. Retired athletes like Ricky Williams have spoken openly about their cannabis use and its benefits throughout their careers and beyond, particularly in relation to game-related symptoms such as chronic pain or achy joints.

In a 2019 interview with High Times, Williams said the NFL is improving with their approach to cannabis, although he believed they could do more as well.

“The NFL is a powerful company that has a lot of influence, and if they changed their approach more significantly, it could make a lot of changes in the world,” Williams said.

Sha’Carri Richardson particularly sparked renewed interest in cannabis politics in sport in 2021 after she was suspended for testing positive for THC following the death of her mother and was unable to attend the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She said she would feel “blessed and proud” if her story sparked a broader policy change for other athletes.

The issue of cannabis and sport also surfaced in 2022 after US basketball player Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia for possession of a THC vape.

As athletes continue to open up about their cannabis use in relation to their health and wellbeing, research continues to confirm that cannabis and cannabinoid products have the potential to aid in athletic training and recovery, although more research is needed on the topic as a whole .

Advances for cannabis in sport

While the NBA is taking the lead in this conversation, other major esports leagues have been steadily moving in a similar direction.

During the 2021 off-season, the NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to amend the league’s cannabis policy. The updated policy states that players only need to test for cannabis once a year at the start of training camp. Previously players who failed the test were given a long ban, now they only face a fine.

In 2022, the NFL also approved $1 million in grants for two studies designed to examine the effectiveness of cannabis and its compounds for treating pain in soccer players and for neuroprotection from concussions.

MLB, too, has taken a more progressive stance in recent years. In 2020, it clarified that players would not be penalized for using cannabis, just months after cannabis was removed from the banned substances list. Before the change, players who tested positive for THC were referred to mandatory treatment, and those who didn’t comply faced a fine of up to $35,000.

In 2021, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced it would no longer penalize fighters for positive cannabis tests.

The official NBPA Twitter account shared the press release announcing the tentative deal on April 1, confirming that “specific details will be made available once a term sheet is finalized.”