NCAA Drug Testing

NCAA Eases Marijuana Testing. Recommends Lighter Consequences for Positive Tests

By Mary Archibald|Updated on July 6, 2023 (originally published on April 4, 2022)

Marijuana may have a bad rep in college sports, but this year, the NCAA Health Committee has nonetheless raised the THC testing threshold for athletes. In a string of meetings on February 22nd and 23rd, the NCAA announced that “the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports increased the THC threshold and recommended a reconfiguration of the penalty structure for student-athletes who test positive for THC.” The recommendations were approved on February 25th.

The committee coordinated with the World Anti-Doping Agency to raise the threshold from 35 to 150 nanograms per milliliter for student-athletes. This adjustment was effective immediately and applied to any drug test taken since the fall of 2021. The NCAA also stated that any changes are subject to alter due to many moving parts still in review. According to Dr. Brian Hainline, the NCAA's chief medical officer: “Reconsidering the NCAA approach to cannabis testing and management is consistent with feedback from membership on how to better support and educate student-athletes in a society with rapidly evolving public health and cultural views regarding cannabis use.”

The NCAA also implemented a new penalty structure for student-athletes who test positive for THC in their system. The new penalty structure is as follows:

First positive test: No loss of eligibility if the school provides a management plan and education for the student-athlete.
Second positive test: No loss of eligibility if the school provides additional management and education and confirms the student-athlete was compliant with the original management and education plan. However, the student-athlete must be withheld from 25% of regular-season contests if they were not compliant with the original management and education plan.
Third positive test: No loss of eligibility if the school provides additional management and education and confirms the student-athlete was compliant with the previous two treatment and education plans. However, the student-athlete must be withheld from 50% of regular-season contests if they were not compliant with the previous management and education plan.

While Marijuana and THC have been around for quite a while (more than 5,000 years!), information and research are still being done to the greatest extent globally to agree on the jurisdiction of medical and recreational use of the drug. Also, due to the taboo nature of the drug, many have differing opinions on its use in sports.

In a Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine published by the US National Library of Medicine, Cannabis is primarily inhaled or ingested into the bloodstream for various medical and non-medical reasons. Evidence supporting medical marijuana points towards pain management of chronic illnesses and conditions. Although evidence for serious harm of athletes from cannabinoids is limited, researchers warn athletes to be aware of the abuse and mental harm potential. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some of the side effects linked to THC use include breathing problems, increased heart rate, changes in mood, and difficulty in thinking or problem solving just to name a few. Dennis Jenson, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education director at McGill University, stated “Although the prevalence of cannabis use among elite athletes is not well-known, use is associated with certain high-risk sports. There is no evidence for cannabis use as a performance-enhancing drug.”

While these changes are new to college athletics, support for the legalization of THC use around the country has been on the radar for the past two decades. On a federal level, a bill in the 10th amendment of the constitution still classifies Marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. However, this excludes businesses acting in compliance with state laws. Otherwise put, a few states such as California and Colorado, for example, have fully decriminalized and legalized the use of recreational and medical Marijuana.

With legalization of Marijuana products on the horizon, two ingredients are becoming more popular: THC and CBD. CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis products. While they are fairly similar, sharing the shame chemical components, the difference comes about in the arrangement of atoms within the substance. This can lead to differing effects on the body. As of now, the FDA has only approved one CBD product for the use of severe forms of childhood epilepsy. Because the NCAA only mentions a change in the restrictions for THC and did not mention CBD, it is best to fully steer clear of CBD products to avoid consequences.

The changes in relaxing the restrictions of cannabinoid use among athletes point towards societal changes and a shift in cultural normalities. While the NCAA has already made these changes, there is still further investigation regarding the future of Marijuana for student-athletes. It is also important to note that many states have different laws, rules, and regulations on the use of THC products, so you may face different consequences at the state and NCAA levels.

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