{"id":1635,"date":"2021-10-08T20:40:39","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T20:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=181089"},"modified":"2021-10-08T20:40:39","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T20:40:39","slug":"nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=1635","title":{"rendered":"NBA players can exhale without worry of random weed tests"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <title>NBA players can exhale without worry of random weed tests &#8211; Leafly<\/title>     <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t   <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.1.2 (Yoast SEO v17.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->                  <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information -->  <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <title>Leafly<\/title>     <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              <title>Loading\u2026<\/title>     <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<h3 id=\"h-the-league-suspended-testing-during-the-2020-playoff-bubble-now-it-s-extending-the-policy-through-the-2021-22-season\">The league suspended testing during the 2020 playoff bubble; now it\u2019s extending the policy through the 2021-22 season<\/h3>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">ESPN <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wojespn\/status\/1445823570525970432?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a> that the NBA will continue to turn a blind eye to cannabis consumption during the 2021-2022 campaign.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Players won\u2019t be subject to random tests for marijuana this season, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nbpa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NBPA<\/a> memo shared w\/ players and obtained by ESPN. That\u2019s been adjusted policy thru Orlando restart and 2020-\u201821 season. Testing continues for \u201cdrugs of abuse and performance enhancing substances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wojespn\/status\/1445823570525970432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 6, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The league did not conduct random testing for cannabis during its 2020 playoff <a href=\"https:\/\/syndication.bleacherreport.com\/amp\/2900293-agent-on-nba-players-bringing-weed-to-campus-youre-asking-about-fight-club.amp.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bubble<\/a>\u2014news that sent some players scrambling to figure out <a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/1927715\/2020\/07\/15\/thompson-bongs-blunts-and-balms-the-secret-to-surviving-the-nba-bubble\/?amp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how long a pound would last<\/a> them on the Disney campus. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-a-positive-change-for-many-pros\">A positive change for many pros<\/h2>\n<p>The 2020 decision sparked some chuckles at the time. But few noted the significance of changing a policy that once stunted many promising careers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Retired players have long been vocal about why they prefer cannabis to other medical and recreational substances. Despite fines, suspension, and public ridicule, dozens of professional athletes have insisted that cannabis is healthier than opioids for treating pain and anxiety.&nbsp;Sadly, most pro leagues have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/health\/leagues-listening-pro-athletes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slow<\/a> to listen.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" alt class=\"wp-image-147988 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Stephen Jackson smoked before games to ease his nerves and got high-fives from his coach for passing weed tests. (AP Photo\/Bahram Mark Sobhani)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-pioneers-in-the-industry\">Pioneers in the industry<\/h2>\n<p>Many hoopers who once faced severe penalties for weed are hustling hard to normalize, starting their own cannabis stores and brands. <\/p>\n<p>In an <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BleacherReport\/status\/1444036683058475010?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interview<\/a> with Taylor Rooks this week, Hall of Famer Allen Iverson revealed that opposing fans used to taunt him during games because of his reputation for sparking up. At one point, Iverson had to join the league\u2019s substance abuse program as punishment for a possession arrest.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cIt was this stigma that (cannabis) was so bad back then. And I went through the bad boy thing when I first came into the league. The fact that I had all these guys with me and we smoked marijuana, you was labeled as a villain or the bad guy for smoking. That\u2019s what I remember the most. That I had to go through. I\u2019d hear people in the crowd calling me \u2018weed head\u2019 on the road. When I was a rookie I got stopped and I had some weed on me. And I actually went to jail for it. And now all these years later, look at how far we\u2019ve come.\u201d \u2013 Allen Iverson, partner in Viola Brands&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-political-advocates-too\">Political advocates, too <\/h2>\n<p>Today Iverson is a partner and lead endorser for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/brands\/viola\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Viola<\/a> brands, with two strains named after him (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/strains\/allen-iverson-og\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Allen Iverson OG<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/strains\/iverson-96\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Iverson 96<\/a>). Viola was founded by Iverson\u2019s NBA contemporary, Al Harrington. <\/p>\n<p>Along with fellow NBAer Kevin Garnett, Harrington recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/entertainers-athletes-double-down-on-biden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">signed a letter<\/a> demanding that President Biden forgive all non-violent cannabis offenders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s all about changing the stigma first,\u201d said Harrington, who didn\u2019t use cannabis during his playing career. The 16-year NBA veteran was converted to advocacy after weed helped treat his grandmother\u2019s glaucoma.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" alt=\"Al Harrington brings the high-grade with Viola. (Courtesy of Viola)\" class=\"wp-image-102991 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/nba-players-can-exhale-without-worry-of-random-weed-tests-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Al Harrington brings the high-grade with Viola. (Courtesy of Viola)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-about-damn-time\">About damn time<\/h2>\n<p>Eric Waden, a reporter for the NBA\u2019s Utah Jazz, reacted to the news of no more random tests on an <a href=\"https:\/\/espn700sports.com\/news\/eric-walden-on-the-jazz-preseason-tv-streaming-options-league-wide-gm-survey-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESPN 700 interview<\/a> Wednesday. \u201cThis has been a long time coming,\u201d Walden said, \u201cand honestly, I expect that by the time we get to the next collective bargaining agreement, we\u2019re gonna see a permanent change where they just codify that they will no longer test for marijuana.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Retired players including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/heres-an-early-look-at-nba-hall-of-famer-chris-webbers-massive-detroit-cannabis-facility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chris Webber<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/strains\/gary-payton\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gary Payton<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/nba-legend-shawn-kemp-to-open-seattles-first-black-owned-cannabis-store\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shawn Kemp<\/a> have joined Iverson and Harrington on the front lines, fighting the stigma by joining the industry. Webber, who faced fines and public ridicule for use as a player, recently opened a massive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/heres-an-early-look-at-nba-hall-of-famer-chris-webbers-massive-detroit-cannabis-facility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cannabis compound<\/a> in his native Detroit. The facility will offer cultivation space, consumption zones, job training, and dispensaries for the community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll The Smoke\u201d podcast co-host and NBA champion Stephen Jackson was one of the first players to admit to smoking before games to soothe anxiety. His former coach Don Nelson would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/18588687\/ex-nba-player-stephen-jackson-says-somes-smoked-marijuana-games\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> high-five Jackson and teammates after they passed their final drug tests of the season. <\/p>\n<p>The message was clear: Avoiding detection was more important than stopping use.<\/p>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat -->  <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2021-10-08 13:40:43 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NBA players can exhale without worry of random weed tests &#8211; Leafly Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The league suspended testing during the 2020 playoff bubble; now it\u2019s extending the policy through the 2021-22 season ESPN reports that the NBA will continue to turn a blind eye to cannabis consumption during the 2021-2022 campaign.&nbsp; Players won\u2019t be subject&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1635\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}