WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The National Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA has voted to remove the ban on marijuana for Division I athletes in championships, effective immediately.
The NCAA said that marijuana will now be treated as alcohol, and ongoing penalties on athletes for marijuana-related violations will be discontinued.
'The NCAA drug testing program is intended to focus on integrity of competition, and cannabis products do not provide a competitive advantage,' Josh Whitman, chair of the council, said. 'The council's focus is on policies centered on student-athlete health and well-being rather than punishment for cannabis use.'
The newly amended banned substances rule for Division I players now aligns with those of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Marijuana Moment reports.
'NCAA members will focus on harm-reduction strategies problematic cannabis use, centering health of student-athletes,' NCAA posted on X/Twitter.
Usually, college athletes undergo drug-testing for steroids, peptide hormones and masking agents throughout the year. Additionally, during championships, they are also tested for narcotics, stimulants and 'recreational drugs', as per The Hill.
Responding to the news, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), co-founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, commented, 'Slowly, surely, America is coming to its senses after 50 years of the failed war drugs. It is only fitting that the NCAA remove cannabis from its list of banned substances as Sha'Carri Richardson qualifies for the 2024 Olympics - an accomplishment she earned for years ago but was wrongly taken away. Common sense is finally prevailing.'
Richardson was disqualified from the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, after she tested positive for marijuana.
Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2024 AFX News
