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NBA suspends random marijuana testing for 2020-21 season - but will continue to screen for performance enhancers and other drugs

After years of punishing marijuana use with suspensions, the NBA has announced it will not randomly test players for the drug during the 2020-21 season. 

The decision was made in conjunction with the players' union and serves as a continuation of the league's policy from the 2019-20 season restart, when the NBA suspended random marijuana testing inside the bubble at Disney World. 

The NBA will continue some random tests, but those will be targeted at performance enhancers and 'drugs of abuse.'

After years of punishing marijuana use with suspensions, the NBA has announced it will not randomly test players for the drug during the 2020-21 season. The decision was made in conjunction with the players' union and serves as a continuation of the league's policy from the 2019-20 season restart, when the NBA suspended random marijuana testing inside the bubble at Disney World (pictured)

After years of punishing marijuana use with suspensions, the NBA has announced it will not randomly test players for the drug during the 2020-21 season. The decision was made in conjunction with the players' union and serves as a continuation of the league's policy from the 2019-20 season restart, when the NBA suspended random marijuana testing inside the bubble at Disney World

'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,' league spokesman Mike Bass said of the agreement with the players association.

The move was not unexpected.  

In an interview with Yahoo Sports in May 2019, commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA could change its policy on marijuana, which calls for a $25,000 fine for a second positive test, followed by suspensions for three or more violations.

'I think that, clearly to the extent it has medicinal qualities, those are things that we should be looking at,' Silver said. 'Where it's in terms of pain relief, of course. And that's something that's being studied, not just by us. The NFL recently announced they're studying that issue, as well. And we should look at it.'

The move was not unexpected. In an interview with Yahoo Sports in May 2019, commissioner Adam Silver (pictured) said the NBA could change its policy on marijuana, which calls for a $25,000 fine for a second positive test, followed by suspensions for three or more violations

The move was not unexpected. In an interview with Yahoo Sports in May 2019, commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA could change its policy on marijuana, which calls for a $25,000 fine for a second positive test, followed by suspensions for three or more violations

Silver said any alterations to league policy would require thoughtful consideration.

'I think when we change our policy, we have to be very careful, because clearly we're going to be sending a message to a lot of young people. And at the end of the day, I think we all agree that, whether or not marijuana is a legal substance, just like with alcohol, you still have to teach young people how to use a substance like that appropriately and responsibly and so it doesn't overwhelm your life.

'So, it's a complicated issue.'

Reports of the decision first surfaced on social media on Thursday.

Many fans reacted with Tweets about free agent guard JR Smith, who was previously suspended for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy in 2013 and who traveled to Albany in 2019 to lobby for marijuana legalization, according to the New York Post.  

Smith was trending on Twitter at different times on Thursday and Friday.  

Free agent guard JR Smith was trending on Twitter at different times on Thursday and Friday. Smith previously violated the NBA's drug policy and has advocated for legalizing marijiuana

Free agent guard JR Smith was trending on Twitter at different times on Thursday and Friday. Smith previously violated the NBA's drug policy and has advocated for legalizing marijiuana

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