Marijuana use has been a controversial topic in Major League Baseball. There have been some major changes made to policy concerning this particular drug.
Legalization of Marijuana Use in MLB
Minor league baseball players will soon be allowed to use marijuana without any repercussions whatsoever. This sudden change in policy is a result of the league’s efforts to reduce use of dangerous opioids. The death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, which was credited to a fentanyl overdose, has motivated the league to step up these efforts.
While major league players were never tested for marijuana, this news is a pretty big deal for its minor league players.
Some of the drugs that still remain on the MLB banned list include MDMA, LSD, heroin and cocaine. And while major league players can technically still be subject to testing for marijuana, it is very uncommon.
Previous Rules
Before marijuana use was sanctioned, minor leaguers could have received a 25-game suspension for a positive marijuana test. They would have been banned for 50 games if they failed a second test, and 100 games for a third infraction. A lifetime ban from the game was imposed for minor league players that failed more than three marijuana tests.
A total of 13 minor league players were suspended for using marijuana throughout 2019. Marijuana made up a vast majority of these positive drug tests. Markel Jones, Tyler Lancaster, Luis Lebron, and Jeremy Jeffries are just some of the players to have received suspensions for this reason.
While major league players have a history of being tested for performance-enhancing drugs, minor leaguers have been tested for recreational drugs.
Eligibility
The new agreement involving the use of marijuana only applies to minor league players. The players must not be on the 40-man roster that can be put on the active roster. Regular marijuana testing for major league players hasn’t been active since 2002.
Finalizing the Terms
The specific terms of this new agreement are still being hammered out by MLB officials. Tony Clark, who serves the union chief for all MLB players, says that an agreement will probably be reached by the end of the year.
While it is unclear what the final agreement will look like exactly, marijuana will no longer be a banned drug for minor league players. It is clear that the Major League Baseball association is confident that this change in policy will help with curbing opioid use among its players.
