Which sports test for marijuana?
As the movement to legalize cannabis spreads across the country, it has forced a number of North American sports leagues to reconsider their own marijuana policies.
Law-based teams are no longer the exception—they are the rule.
Only 22 of 124 teams (18%) in the four major professional sports leagues (soccer, basketball, baseball, and hockey) are based in states that do not allow medical or adult use. As of May 2022, recreational cannabis is legal in 18 states plus DC and Canada, while medical marijuana is legal in 38 states.
Read on for the latest information on the most popular North American leagues and their marijuana testing policies.
National Basketball Association (NBA)
You get there. The NBA suspended random marijuana testing during Orlando’s 2020 “bubble season,” and league officials have continued this no-testing policy through the 2022 season. But they have stopped officially giving players the green light to consume.
The league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) must be renewed after the 2023-2024 season, at which point players have the option to end THC testing forever.
With more players, past and present, speaking openly about using cannabis for relaxation, calming, and recovery, it’s unlikely that marijuana testing will return to the Association.
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Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Despite the NBA’s proactive policies and the current incarceration of WNBA star Brittney Griner, the WNBA continues to test players for marijuana use — but only once a year and without major penalties. Given Griner’s situation and the league’s public campaign supporting her release, it’s unlikely that WNBA players will see any crackdown on cannabis use this year.
The most recent collective agreement, signed in 2020, includes testing requirements for marijuana. But the league’s collective trauma surrounding the Griner case could prompt officials to calmly wind down this test over time.
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The NFL only tests players for marijuana during official league seasons. In April 2021, the league announced that it would stop testing players for THC during the off-season (which covers much of spring and summer).
The league also raised the threshold for a positive THC test from 35 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL. Players will no longer be banned for testing positive. Instead, they can be fined up to three play money checks.
Ice Hockey National League (NHL)
The NHL has the most lenient marijuana policy of any major North American sports league. Players are randomly tested twice a year: once during practice and once during the regular season.
Although players are still being tested, the league will not penalize them for testing positive for THC. League officials only take notice when the test shows “abnormally high THC levels.” In this case, league doctors will anonymously report the test and provide the player with access to a substance treatment program.
Fun fact: 28 of the 31 NHL teams play in states where medical or recreational marijuana is legal, the most in any league.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
In 2019, Major League Baseball removed marijuana from its off-season banned substances list. During the regular season, the league does not conduct regular testing for THC. League officials will only test players if they appear to be under the influence of marijuana. Minor league players can no longer be banned for marijuana use.
Major League Soccer (MLS)
MLS tests and penalizes players for drugs, including marijuana. This puts the league in line with other football leagues around the world, which generally adhere to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rule, which classifies cannabis as a banned performance-enhancing drug.
National league women’s football
The NWSL specifically allows the use of CBD for their players. While it’s unclear if that means the league won’t test for THC, the fast-growing market for CBD-THC hybrid products likely means the league won’t discourage its players from using the full range of cannabinoids.
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National Stock Car Auto Racing Association (NASCAR)
NASCAR regularly tests both drivers and crew members at the track for THC. The organization has no problem suspending drivers who test positive for marijuana.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
While the UFC tests fighters for a wide range of drugs, they couldn’t care less about a positive test for marijuana.
“Why the hell do we care what someone did a week earlier, let alone the night before, if it doesn’t affect their ability to fight?” Jeff Novitzky, the UFC’s senior vice president of athlete health and performance, told ESPN and cited evidence that a positive test for marijuana does not necessarily mean the person was under the influence at any given time.
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International Tennis Federation (ITF)
The ITF tests players about twice a month. The associations consider marijuana a banned performance-enhancing drug, synonymous with other forms of doping.
Professional Golfers Association (PGA Tour)
The PGA Tour actually expanded its drug testing program in 2017, and league officials will suspend any player who tests positive for THC. The PGA classifies cannabis as a “drug of abuse.”
In 2019, the tour suspended professional golfer Robert Garrigus for three months after he tested positive for marijuana, Garrigus said.
Max Savage Levenson
Max Savage Levenson probably has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any author on the cannabis beat. He also writes about music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled people. He is the co-host of the Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.
Check out Max Savage Levenson’s articles
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