MLB Officially Removes Marijuana from Banned Substances

On December 12, 2019, in a major victory for cannabis reform advocates, Major League

Baseball (MLB) and its union have agreed to officially remove natural cannabinoids (e.g., THC,

CBD and Marijuana) from its list of Drugs of Abuse.

The changes go into effect when spring training begins in 2020, whereby MLB players will no

longer be penalized if they test positive for THC. Marijuana use will now be treated the same as

alcohol. Additionally, suspensions for using marijuana will be dropped from the minor league

drug program.

MLB Paves the Way for Cannabis Reform in Professional Sports

The move mirrors a sports-wide shift in the way organizations treat weed and CBD, substances

many athletes use for pain relief from the minor league drug program.

And now, other professional sports leagues like the National Hockey League (NHL) and the

National Football League (NFL) may be looking to follow suit. The NFL announced it would

conduct research concerning pain management and alternative therapies, such as cannabis,

cannabinoids, and CBD.

Closing Thoughts

MLB took an important leadership position which will save the lives of players, inspire other

organizations to change their policies, and ultimately move the cannabis industry forward by

recognizing that cannabis is neither a performance-enhancing drug nor is it dangerous to users

of moderate quantities.

This recent policy change, which was praised by the White House Office of National Drug

Control Policy, highlights the profound impact cannabis normalization is having on our society.