NBA players and team officials are reportedly close to finalizing a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will officially take cannabis out of the league’s drug testing program. This news, first shared by Shams Charania of The Athletic, comes after three years of the NBA’s abstinence from marijuana testing.
According to a report by Ganjapreneur, the new CBA would bring an end to cannabis testing for good, securing a progressive decision in major sports and paving the way for further exploration into alternative treatments for pain relief and other therapeutic benefits associated with the plant.
The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposed between the NBA and its players will put an end to cannabis testing. This is a progressive step forward in support of alternative treatments that are becoming increasingly popular among professional athletes, including 15 of the league’s 30 teams that hail from regions where marijuana is legal for adult recreational use and other states where medical marijuana is allowed.
The Players Association has stated that a term sheet outlining the specifics of the CBA deal is still to be finalized, making it likely that the agreement will provide relief for team members looking for medical alternatives to more harmful drugs for pain management and treatment of other physical issues.
Once this deal is finalized, the NFL will stand alone as North America’s major sports leagues that continue to test and punish players for using cannabis. Such a policy stands in stark contrast with countries like Canada, which legalized recreational marijuana use last year, allowing athletes to consume it without penalty.
