Sports entities at all levels, and across the globe, have worked to enact progressive policies. The CSMAS noted their goal will be to gather further input throughout this summer, with final action expected in the fall. As Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson Jr. recently said, “[it is] about time that we recognize the potential of phytomedicines, plant medicines, to aid and improve the mental health and quality of life for so many.
Cannabis is unlike other substances on the NCAA’s prohibited performance enhancement list. Athletes do not consume cannabis to gain a competitive advantage, but rather for various individualized personal or medical reasons. Ultimately, recognizing these distinctions would promote fairness by ensuring athletes are not penalized for using a substance unrelated to their performance on the field, especially in a state where adult and medical use is legal.
