The World Anti-Doping Agency classifies recreational drugs as doping substances

The World Anti-Doping Agency has published the 2021 Prohibited List, which will take effect on January 1, 2021. It confirms the agency’s previous statements, in which it had announced reduce penalties for recreational drug use in 2021.

During the two-year review process for the 2021 version of the Code, WADA apparently received numerous comments from stakeholders regarding substances of abuse, in which it was noted that the use of certain substances included on the List was often unrelated to athletic performance.

Consequently, Section 4.2.3 was added to the Code, and cocaine, diamorphine (heroin), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA / «ecstasy»), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were identified as substances of abuse in The 2021 List.

Effective January 1, 2021, these drugs—which are considered recreational or social drugs—will no longer be classified as doping substances but will instead be identified as «substances of abuse.» Thus, if an athlete can demonstrate that the use of one of these four substances occurred out of competition and was unrelated to a potential enhancement of athletic performance, the suspension imposed will be three months and may be reduced to one month if the athlete completes a rehabilitation program.

In 2018, the’The World Anti-Doping Agency had removed cannabidiol (CBD) from the list of doping substances for use both in and out of competition.