An NCAA committee has proposed that marijuana be removed from the organization's list of banned substances. Furthermore, the committee suggested that drug testing in college athletes should be strictly limited to detecting PEDs. The suggestion comes from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports after Division II and Division III leadership asked the committee to investigate the issue.
The NCAA first implemented drug testing for championship events in 1986. Individual NCAA member schools are also expected to test athletes to ensure compliance with NCAA standards. Additionally, the committee suggested halting cannabis tests at such events until a final decision is made. That decision would likely be made this fall. For such a radical move to occur, legislation would need to be introduced and approved by all three NCAA divisions.
Committee Eyes More Progressive Drug Policy
The committee's recommendation is the latest in a series of moves to better define the NCAA's testing policy. In December, the committee noted that marijuana and its byproducts are not considered performance-enhancing substances. Additionally, they suggested moving toward policies that focused on the threats of addiction and marijuana use, as opposed to simply punishing its use. Furthermore, the committee raised THC detection levels to match those of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Practically, this means positive tests occur at a lower rate.
It's not the only change that the committee is proposing and making. In another proposal, the committee recommended raising the threshold for the detection of hormone GW1516. Originally used in diabetes treatments, it was removed from general public consumption in 2007. However, contaminated supplements are rare but not unheard of. However, it remains to be seen whether these major changes will be accepted by the often archaic organization. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.
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