3 Reasons why NBA made ‘right’ decision in Suspending Random Marijuana testing
On Dec. 3, the NBA announced that it will not test its players for marijuana for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
The NBA enacted a similar practice while the season was suspended last year and kept that same policy when play resumed during its Walt Disney bubble, which was held this past summer.
NBA spokesperson, Mike Bass released the following statement:
“Due to the unusual circumstances in conjunction with the pandemic, we have agreed with the NBPA to suspend random testing for marijuana for the 2020-21 season and focus our random testing program on performance-enhancing products and drugs of abuse.”
Sure, marijuana is still considered taboo by many Americans, but before we jump the gun and condemn such a decision, let’s take a look at why the NBA made the correct decision in suspending random marijuana testing for its upcoming season.
Safer alternative than opioids
An NBA player’s body endures plenty of wear and tear throughout the season. Sometimes there isn’t ample recovery time between games and therefore it may be necessary for a player to receive medical assistance in order to cope with the pain. Rather than ingesting strong doses of highly addictive opioid painkillers, a player can consume controlled marijuana dosages to alleviate his pain.
Now, it’s important to note that according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more and more states have recognized marijuana as medicine for certain conditions. However, we would be remiss if we didn’t state that research on marijuana’s medicinal benefits is currently inconclusive.
At the same time, however, what is conclusive is that opioids are lethal and have claimed the lives of countless Americans and even professional athletes, including the late Tyler Skaggs. Last year, the former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher died from an opioid overdose in his Texas hotel room.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said it best back in 2019:
“I think that, clearly to the extent it [marijuana] has medicinal qualities, those are things that we should be looking at. Where it's in terms of pain relief, of course.”
Players’ Mental Health
In an interview with NBC Sports, Silver commented on how his office has prioritized players’ mental well-being.
Since most NBA players make millions of dollars, it is easy for fans to forget that players are human and therefore are bound to be negatively affected by stressors in their own life.
According to PubMed.gov, marijuana is a sedative drug, meaning it serves as a depressant. The drug is often consumed as a way to ‘wind down’ after a long day or in this case, after a grueling practice or game.
Granted, just like other depressants, it needs to be consumed responsibly. If consumed accordingly, marijuana can serve as an alternative to alcohol, a depressant which often can provoke aggressive behavior.
Increased legality across states
According to Esquire, roughly fifteen states have legalized the consumption of recreational marijuana while twenty states have approved it for medical usage. Given that some of those states house NBA franchises, it only makes sense for the league to ease up on marijuana testing, so as to avoid player and public backlash.
The league after all, is a business— an American business. Losing the appeal of its American fanbase can potentially cost the league billions of dollars in revenue. Therefore, it is best for any league and team officials that are opposed to this new policy to just bite the bullet for the sake of their coveted revenue.
Suspending marijuana testing is a controversial issue, but the NBA made the correct decision in suspending random marijuana testing.