Blog Post #2 – Cannabis in the NBA
Josh Childers
Dr. Clinton Jenkins
Into to American Government
7 April 2022
Blog Post #2 – Cannabis in the NBA
In recent years, the use of cannabis has become more and more accepted. One place where this shift is most visible is in professional sports. The National Hockey League, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and Ultimate Fighting Club have all changed their cannabis policies to make them more lenient. However, one professional sports league that has been slower to embrace this change than their peers is the National Basketball Association. The NBA stopped testing for cannabis in 2020 as a result of COVID-19, but it is reported that this decision is only a temporary move to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This move has re-ignited the debate over whether or not the NBA should reevaluate its policy for the future.
One argument why the NBA should reevaluate their cannabis policy is because their punishments simply are not effective. The punishments for marijuana violations are stated in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
If a player tests positive for marijuana, or if he is convicted of, or pleads guilty to, the use or possession of marijuana, he will be required to submit to treatment, counseling, and aftercare testing in the Program. A second violation will result in a $25,000 fine, a third violation will result in a 5-game suspension, and any subsequent violations will result in a suspension that is 5 games longer than the player’s immediately-preceding marijuana suspension.
Despite these consequences, marijuana use seems to still be very prevalent in the NBA. Kenyon Marin, a former NBA player, claims that around eighty-five percent of NBA players use cannabis. Also, several anonymous current players put the number at somewhere between fifty and eighty-five percent. Given these numbers, it is clear that the NBA’s policies do not deter players from using cannabis. This is not surprising considering $25,000 is not as much money for someone who makes millions of dollars a year. There are also many ways to get around the tests. If the punishment does not prevent people from violating the rules, then there needs to be a change.
Another reason why the NBA should change their policy on marijuana is because it provides a very strong source of pain relief for the players. The NBA season is six months long and each team plays eighty-two games. That many games can take a heavy toll on an athlete’s body, so it is very important that players take care of their bodies and manage pain and injuries that they incur throughout the season. Marijuana provides a much-needed way to ease their pain. It is also much safer than other alternatives such as opioids which can be addictive. Many players use marijuana because it helps with their pain and allows them to perform better. If marijuana helps player performance and improves the NBA’s overall product, then why would they not allow it.
One argument for why the NBA should continue to test for marijuana is because there are still several states that have not legalized it. The life of an NBA player includes a lot of travel and that means travelling to states that have not legalized cannabis. This could result in players getting arrested for possession of marijuana simply because they brought it into a state that does not allow it. The NBA sees this as protecting their players and avoiding bad press.
There are two possible ways that the NBA can Deal with this problem. The first option is that they could worsen their punishments for failing a cannabis test in hopes that it will stop players from using marijuana. This is a very unlikely solution because players would probably still try to find ways around the rules. If they were to worsen the punishment, the Players Association would probably fight against that decision. The other option is to simply stop testing for marijuana. This is probably what will most likely occur. The NBA has always thought of itself as being very progressive, so this would be a great opportunity for them to reinforce that image. With the NBA continuing not to test this season, it seems like they are warming up to the idea of allowing cannabis. This move could happen in the NBA’s next collective bargaining agreement.
Society has become much more open to the legalization of cannabis. There are many arguments for why the NBA should embrace this shift and no longer test for marijuana. The players are clearly in favor of this move. It seems like only a matter of time before the NBA makes this decision.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bencurren/2021/01/28/the-nbas-slam-dunk-cannabis-shift/?sh=63b0c143fec1