The coronavirus pandemic disrupted everything from manufacturing and retail to education and sporting events. But while thousands of institutions shut down in the wake of the pandemic, some indefinitely, the NBA resumed the 2019–2020 season under a special arrangement. The National Basketball Association (NBA) created an isolation zone at Walt Disney World in Florida, with the teams playing behind closed doors and being tested for COVID 19 every other day.
While the players were in the Orlando “Bubble,” the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) temporarily suspended random recreational cannabis tests while tests for performance-enhancing drugs resumed. On Dec. 3, 2020, freelance journalist Ben Dowsett reported that the NBA and NBPA had agreed to maintain the policy of not testing for cannabis, at least for the 2020–2021 season. He reported that this was the league’s way of limiting unnecessary contact amid the pandemic.
The policy was originally meant to prevent unnecessary close contact and to help relieve players’ stress levels while they were training and quarantining in the bubble. According to a statement from NBA spokesman Mike Bass, the NBA and the NBPA decided to extend the policy due to the “unusual circumstances” the world is in right now. Experts say the coronavirus may be around for at least two years, and the league is looking to protect its players during the next season. However, the random testing program for performance-enhancing drugs will continue.
This comes soon after the United Nations Commission for Narcotic Drugs voted to remove marijuana from Schedule IV, which contains drugs such as heroin and cocaine, following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation. Five states voted to legalize cannabis in some form in the November 2020 ballot, and the U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level, indicating a sweeping acceptance of cannabis across the country.
The NBA has been under pressure to do away with random marijuana testing anyway. States have become more lenient with cannabis over the years, with 35 states legalizing medical cannabis and 25 states allowing recreational use. Additionally, the opioid crisis has shown just how much damage pharmaceuticals can do over the short and long term, and as basketballers put their bodies as well as minds through immense pressure during the gaming season, they are at even greater risk.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hasn’t ruled out making the cannabis policy permanent or introducing new policies, but he says the league will have to tread carefully to avoid sending the wrong message to young basketball fans.
The growing appreciation of the benefits of cannabis and its related products has paved the way for many companies to thrive. One such company is The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER) (CSE: WTER). WTER’s perfectly balanced alkaline bottled water is popular and so are the CBD-infused products (powder packs, gummies, creams, etc.) that the company offers.
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