Last week, MLB reps announced they were removing cannabis from its Drugs of Abuse list across every level of its athletic play. This means that starting during spring training, players who test positive for weed in the major or minor leagues will no longer fined or suspended, but rather given the option for treatment if there’s suspicion of a problem — much like how alcohol is regulated and perceived.
“We’re at an age where athlete’s interest in their own best health education is at a peak high and the opioid epidemic is real — we need to get out of the ’70s and ’80s mentality,” says Roerthlingshoefer, a former minor league goalie from Edmonton who worked with the Ducks for two years. “I’ve seen sleeping pills get passed out like candy and nobody tests for alcohol while the players seek ways to manage their pain.
Even with strict rules, he says cannabis consumption is an open secret among professional and amateur sports leagues. Things may be changing, but until now, the governing bodies of North America’s three most popular pastimes have sent a strong message: you get caught with THC in your system, you face suspension and fines. This is still the policy in the NBA and NFL.
This list includes, but isn’t limited to: former NBA player Al Harrington with Viola Brands; boxer Mike Tyson with Tyson Ranch; New England Patriots’ future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski with CBDMEDIC; and Richmond Hill, Ontario’s Mike Camalleri, the former NHL star who sold his sports nutrition company to Canopy Growth.