Kicking Out Cannabis: A Global Look at Soccer Leagues’ Stance on Marijuana
As the world starts to reevaluate its relationship with cannabis, major soccer leagues are finding themselves at the intersection of culture, law, and sport. While some regions are lighting up the green signal for cannabis, particularly for medical use, major soccer leagues like America’s MLS, Europe’s Premier League, and La Liga are navigating these changes very differently. This divergence offers a compelling glimpse into how professional sports grapple with evolving drug policies.
In the United States, the MLS reflects a society increasingly in favor of marijuana legalization. With medical marijuana gaining acceptance across numerous states, MLS policies have evolved to consider its therapeutic benefits. The league now handles cannabis through a lens that also considers player welfare, modifying its approach to drug testing and penalties accordingly. This shift underscores a broader trend in American sports: recognizing and adapting to new norms in player health management.
Contrast this with the situation across the Atlantic. Both the Premier League in England and La Liga in Spain maintain a hard line on cannabis. Operating under stringent national drug laws, these leagues have strict no-tolerance policies that categorize cannabis as a controlled substance alongside other performance-enhancing drugs. The consequences for players caught using cannabis can be severe, including hefty fines and suspensions, reflecting a commitment to maintaining the traditional purity of the sport.
The stark differences in cannabis policies emphasize not just legal and cultural variances but also divergent attitudes toward athlete health management and discipline. While the MLS’s increasingly lenient stance may reflect a progressive take on medical science and player recovery, the European leagues’ stringent measures echo a conservative ethos aimed at preserving the sport’s integrity and traditional values.
As attitudes toward cannabis continue to shift, soccer leagues around the world will be compelled to revisit and potentially revise their policies. For now, these policies not only affect the players and their careers but also shape the league’s global image and operational philosophy. This progressing issue continues to challenge the boundaries of sports, law, and culture, promising to keep the debate lively both on and off the pitch.
Soccer and Cannabis
Marijuana use in soccer has been a hot button issue, especially in the last several years as legalization has caught on throughout the U.S.
Current Rules on Marijuana
U.S. soccer players are still not allowed to consume any amount of marijuana. Cannabis makes up over forty percent of all positive drug tests. While officials recognize that this drug is not used to enhance performance, it is still not tolerated within this sport. Officials have called marijuana a “social problem” as opposed to one of doping.
Players can only face penalties if they test beyond 15 ng per milliliter. This rule was established to prevent false positives caused by passive inhalation of marijuana. A standard urine test may be administered to determine how much THC is a player’s system, if any.
FIFA officials define marijuana as “the dried leaves and flowers of the Cannabis sativa plant”. Hashish, which is the dried juice from the plant’s leaves, is also banned in this sport. This is because it contains THC, which is a psychoactive compound.
CBD Usage in Soccer
While marijuana remains on the list of banned drugs for soccer players, CBD is allowed. Players can only use hemp-derived CBD that does not contain any THC.
The primary reason that hemp-derived CBD is allowed in soccer is because it is not psychoactive due to the lack of THC. It also has the potential to speed up recovery times for players. This could reduce the number of injuries for players, allowing them to avoid missing being excluded from games.
No soccer players have come out and admitted to using CBD as of yet, but it is expected that many of them use it on a regular basis.
Benefits of CBD for Soccer Players
Some of the reasons that soccer players have cited for using CBD include:
- Pain relief: The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD are one of the main reasons that so many professional athletes use it. While soccer might not be a contact sport like American football, it can take a physical toll on players. It has the ability to ease muscle aches and pains quite effectively.
- Anxiety treatment: The anxiety that some soccer players suffer from can be intensified by the pressure to perform in front of thousands of people. Studies have shown that CBD can be very effective for treating anxiety. It creates a relaxed sensation that can be extremely beneficial for people with this condition.
- Reduced stress: Engaging in physical activity tends to release certain hormones that are associated with stress. These hormones include adrenaline, aldosterone, and cortisol. The release of these hormones can be quite taxing on the body. CBD has been shown to reduce the production of certain stress hormones related to physical activity (like soccer).
Final Thoughts
It is unclear as to whether or not marijuana will be allowed in soccer, but it doesn’t seem like this policy will change in the foreseeable future. CBD or Cannabidiol remains legal for players, and offers a wide range of very real benefits.