Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

NBA Suspends Cannabis Testing for 2020-21 Season

Will the NBA permanently remove cannabis from its banned substance list? It's complicated.
Will the NBA permanently remove cannabis from its banned substance list? It's complicated.
Image by tookapic from Pixabay
Gregory Frye
By Gregory FryeDec 07, 2020
Gregory Frye
Gregory is a storyteller, writer, editor & award-winning journalist with a love for meaningful collaboration. He was the founding editor at Green Flower.
See Full Bio
Follow:

The National Basketball Association (NBA) will not test players for cannabis during the upcoming 2020-21 season.

The league initially suspended cannabis testing during the previous season’s restart, where players were confined to a ‘bubble’ at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Cannabis is already quite popular among NBA players – could this be a foreshadowing of more lax cannabis policies in the near future?

The NBA’s Stance on Cannabis

It’s one of the league’s worst kept secrets. Apparently, 75-80 percent of its players already use cannabis.

A lot of current players turn to cannabis to help them with stress or even as an athletic recovery aid.

Meanwhile, a lot of retired players have revealed their cannabis stories as well as opened cannabis businesses.

Some have even come out and admitted to playing games while they were high.

Even the late former Commissioner David Stern shifted his views in favor of cannabis.

The NBA has considered a permanent stoppage of cannabis testing for players, but Commissioner Adam Silver is concerned about the potential impact on athletic performance and children who follow the league.

During a May 2019 interview with Chris Haynes for Yahoo Sports, Silver addressed his stance on the cannabis, calling it a “complicated issue.”

In the interview, Silver noted that he didn’t really care about players using cannabis during the summer or even consuming a bit to unwind during the evening.

“On the other hand, there’s also guys in the league who are smoking a lot of pot. And then the question is, why are you smoking a lot of pot? And that’s where mental wellness comes in. Because I’ve also talked directly to players who say, ‘I’m smoking a lot of pot, because I have a lot of anxiety. And I’m struggling.’”

For Silver, it’s the same issue with alcohol. “Alcohol is perfectly legal, and obviously we don’t have a ban against alcohol. We don’t test against alcohol, unless we have a reason to believe there’s a problem. But we don’t want guys to drink a lot, either. And I think if we hear that a guy is drinking a lot – whether it’s the players association, the team or the league – we’re approaching that guy and saying, ‘Can we help you?’”

Here's the full 2019 interview with Chris Haynes and Commissioner Adam Silver:

What Would It Mean for the NBA to Accept Cannabis?

While the league already has one foot in the door with the current suspension of cannabis testing, officially removing it from the banned substances list would be a monumental jump forward for cannabis progress.

Not only would such a policy change go a long way in de-stigmatizing cannabis in society, but it could also potentially help players mentally and physically – if used with guidance.

Cannabis has so many applications relevant to athletes: depression, anxiety, pain, inflammation – even healing bone fractures.

If I were in charge of a professional sports team, you can guarantee I would have a cannabis advisor on the payroll to work with medical staff and players.

Why not?

Are you still missing out on The Bluntness newsletter? Sign Up today to stay in the loop.

The Latest

DEA prohibited from randomly searching passengers at airports and other transport hubs - The Bluntness
Featured

No More DEA Traveler Searches!

Mass Cannabis Regulators Finally Reveal What Social Consumption Will Look Like
Featured

Cannabis Regulators Unveil Plans

Cannabis Edibles: Dosage and Safety Tips - The Bluntness
Featured

Edible Dosage Tips

The Holistic Health Benefits of Cannabis - The Bluntness
Wellness

Cannabis for Holistic Health

More For You

Jimi Hendrix - The Bluntness

The record Jimi Hendrix listened to on his first acid trip - The Bluntness

www.publicdomainpictures.net

Jimi's legendary first trip

Picture the scene: it’s January 3rd 1966, in New York City, and a young Jimi Hendrix has just sent his father in Seattle an Empire State Building postcard admitting that the grass is not in fact greener on the other side and “every thing so-so on this big, raggedy city”. Although he doesn’t know it yet, Hendrix’s life is about to change seismically with the introduction of LSD.

Having spent four years residing in the Big Apple as a permanently broke musician, Hendrix had experienced his fair share of Black juke joints and clubs around the continent. Despite the gruelling nature of the ‘chitlin circuit’, comprising venues in the eastern, southern, and upper Midwest areas of the United States, Hendrix honed his craft by borrowing crowd-pleasing techniques from T-Bone Walker and Buddy Guy. A couple of these antics included the signature Hendrix trick of playing guitar behind his head and with his teeth.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trop Cherry Strain Review - The Bluntness

Trop Cherry Strain Review - The Bluntness

Balanced Hybrid: Trop Cherry


The Trop Cherry cannabis strain is a slightly Sativa-dominant hybrid (60% Sativa, 40% Indica), created from Tropicana Cookies and Cherry Cookies F3. This strain is known for its THC levels, which range from 16% to 24%, offering a blend of cerebral stimulation and body relaxation. Its terpene profile features beta-caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, humulene, and beta-pinene, giving it a unique flavor that combines sweet citrus, ripe cherries, and earthy undertones.

Keep ReadingShow less
Will drugs pick up on your cannabis edibles, or no?
Will drugs pick up on your cannabis edibles, or no?

Can Drug-Sniffing Dogs Detect Edibles?

Now that marijuana legalization has gone so widespread, getting pot is just a car ride away for most people in the U.S., even those living in prohibition states. 

And by gawd, they are making the drive, too, breaking all sorts of laws by crossing imaginary state lines with real weed. 

Keep ReadingShow less
Indica vs. Sativa: Are These Cannabis Labels Outdated? - The Bluntness

Indica vs. Sativa: Are These Cannabis Labels Outdated? - The Bluntness

Indica vs Sativa: The Truth

When you walk into a dispensary, the first question you’re often asked is whether you prefer an “indica” or “sativa” strain. For years, these categories have served as shorthand for cannabis effects: sativas are described as energizing and creative, while indicas are thought to promote relaxation and sleep. But as cannabis science evolves, so does the understanding of what truly influences a cannabis experience—and it turns out that the traditional indica/sativa dichotomy might be more marketing myth than scientific fact.

This article dives into the origins of these terms, the science debunking their validity, and why a new classification system could lead to a better consumer experience.

Keep ReadingShow less
If you're going to blow a high in a YouTube rabbit hole, why not make it good?
If you're going to blow a high in a YouTube rabbit hole, why not make it good?

7 YouTube Channels to Watch While High

There’s just something about getting high that makes you want to keep consuming: hilarious TV shows, trippy films, instrument-heavy music, immersive art, etc. Cannabis inspires curiosity and creativity, and in the age of the Internet, there are plenty of opportunities for weed-induced exploration just waiting for us at the tips of our fingers.

Of course, there’s one platform in particular that allows for hours of endlessly scrolling through tutorials, educational videos, and WTF moments caught on candid camera: the holy grail of random Internet shit, YouTube.

Keep ReadingShow less