The NBA now allows cannabis consumption

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and its players' union have agreed that players will be tested for performance-enhancing substances but not recreational substances such as cannabis when the 2019-2020 season restarts.

The NBA suspended its season in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and the league and union are finalizing the details of the resumption, which includes locking themselves away for 3 months at Disney World in Florida.

Sources: The NBA and NBPA have agreed to conduct performance-enhancing drug testing during resumed 2019-20 season in Orlando - but tests for recreational drugs will remain suspended.

- Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 8, 2020

Last Monday, the basketball league also rehabilitated Hornets player Malik Monk, who had been suspended indefinitely earlier this season for violating the NBA's drug use policy.

Whereas the NFL and MLB already no longer suspend their players if they consume cannabis, the use of cannabis in NBA returns regularly to the floor. In 2018, Michele Roberts, president of the players' union, said. the league «explored» medical exemptions for NBA players to use medical cannabis, but that federal law stood in the way. At the time, Jeff Sessions was U.S. Attorney General, and Michele Roberts feared the arrest of players at airports at the U.S. Attorney's request.

Under the league's collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and NBPA, players who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs will be suspended for 25 games for a first violation, 55 games for a second violation and are banned from the league for a minimum of two years for a third violation.

In the case of recreational susbtances, punishments have hitherto been an internship for the first offence, a 2,5000$ fine for the second and a 5-match suspension for the third. Any further offences added a 5-match suspension to the previous penalty.

Players may have to take a drug test up to four times a season and twice in the off-season. The tests have been suspended during confinement.