NCAA Division I Council votes to remove cannabinoids from banned drug class for football postseason participation

The NCAA Division I Council voted to remove cannabinoids from its banned drug class for football postseason participation Tuesday. The decision won’t be official until the meeting ends on Wednesday, according to the announcement.

According to current NCAA policy, cannabinoids are one of five substances tested for ahead of championships and postseason football games. The NCAA also tests for beta-2 agonists, beta blockers (in rifle), stimulants and narcotics ahead of those events.

“Cannabinoids include cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD),” the NCAA says in its policy. “Cannabis use is linked to anxiety, panic reactions, respiratory damage, short-term memory impairment and a decreased focus on goals and personal achievement. Cannabinoids are banned by the NCAA and can result in suspension.”

Cannabinoids were just one part of the decisions made by the D1 Council on Tuesday. The group also introduced a proposal to shorten the transfer portal windows for football from 45 days to 30 days, and that vote is coming up in October.

More on the NCAA’s decision on cannabinoids

The D1 Council’s decision comes after the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports recommended removing cannabinoids from the banned drugs class. That recommendation came in September 2023, and the committee released a statement on the decision.

“The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports recommended that each of the three divisional governance bodies introduce and adopt legislation that would remove cannabinoids from the list of NCAA banned drug classes,” the press release read at the time. “Committee members, who met this week in Indianapolis, also recommended the development of a robust educational strategy to accompany a potential change to cannabinoid legislation.

“The timing of discussion and adoption of possible legislation is a decision that will be made by each of three NCAA divisional governance structures. This recommendation is based on extensive study informed by industry and subject matter experts (including doctors, substance misuse experts and membership practitioners).”

The NCAA added that the idea for a change on the matter was informed by the December 2022 Summit on Cannabinoids in College Athletics. According to the NCAA, the consensus opinion formed from that summit was that cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug, “and that a harm-reduction approach to cannabis is best implemented at the school level.”

The NCAA said by removing cannabinoids from the banned substances list, it will acknowledge how inneffective the current policy is and affirm the role the program has in focusing only on performance-enhancing drugs.

Steve Samra contributed to this report.