The National Basketball Association will no longer test or penalize its players for marijuana use under its new and pending seven-year collective bargaining agreement, according to news reports.
The tentative deal was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) on Saturday for the 2023-24 season, according to a statement released by NBPA.
“Specific details will be made available once a term sheet is finalized,” the NBPA said in the statement.
If the contract is ratified by the players and team governors, marijuana would be removed from the NBA’s drug testing program, effectively continuing its suspension on marijuana testing for this season.
“Since day one, the goal of the NBPA in this negotiation was to protect our players, enrich their lives on and off the court, and establish a framework that recognizes our players as true partners with the governors in both the NBA and the business world at large!” NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio said in a tweet in response to the pending agreement.
According to Fox Sports, drug testing is a part of the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the NBA…