Does the NHL Test for Cannabis?

The history of drugs, drug testing, and sports is long and complex, with even some of the most famed athletes going under scrutiny due to their drug usage. The biggest scandals are typically those involving the use of performance-enhancing drugs, such as steroids. But what about cannabis?

Drug testing and drug tolerance policies are not uniform amongst sports organizations. Here, we’ll be focusing on the National Hockey League, asking the question that many hockey fans may have wondered: does the NHL test for cannabis? 

Cannabis Legality

First, a quick legality check—is cannabis legal where the NHL teams play? 

The NHL consists of 32 teams across the United States and Canada. Cannabis usage is legal (at least to some extent) in over 90% of the cities where these teams play. In other words, cannabis usage is legal to some degree in the vast majority of cities with an NHL team. 

NHL Testing Policies

The official answer from the NHL is: yes, they do test for cannabis. Players in the NHL are subject to a no-notice drug test during training camp, along with another no-notice test during the regular season. Additionally, players may be subject to random testing during both the preseason and playoffs. 

This is the NHL’s broad testing policy, which includes cannabis, among a number of other drugs. What is significant about cannabis, however, is that it is not classified as a banned substance.  

What if Players Test Positive?

Because cannabis is not considered a banned substance, players are not punished by the NHL for testing positive for the plant during testing. This is in contrast to organizations such as the MLB and the NFL, which may levy punishments against players who test positive. 

This lack of punishment extends even to players who test positive for very high levels. Instead of being reprimanded, players who show “abnormally high levels” of THC in their system are offered admission to the NHL’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program.

Players are not required to enter the program, and if they do decide to enter the program, the NHL itself is not notified. Doctors within the Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program will “develop an individualized treatment plan” for the player.    

In this way, the NHL aims to help players whose cannabis usage may be an indicator of addiction or substance abuse problems without punishing players or labeling small amounts of cannabis as problematic. 

Mathieu Schneider, a senior executive at the NHLPA, told ESPN, “The thing that we’re really looking for is if there’s a guy that has an issue or a problem and he needs help — that’s what we’re trying to capture in that program.” According to executives like Schneider, the NHL’s drug testing practices are aimed not at punishment, but at getting help to those who may need it. 

Changing With the Times

Some working in the NHL have expressed an understanding of changing attitudes and the legality of cannabis, as well as a drive to keep the NHL’s policies up-to-date with these broader shifts. 

NHLPA director Donald Fehr spoke about wanting to reflect changes in attitudes towards cannabis, as well as wanting to allow for players’ privacy as much as possible. He explained, “We live in a culture in which, when it comes to [legality], generationally there has been and continues to be an ongoing shift in attitudes. You want to try to reflect that. From a personal standpoint — and this is personal — I don’t think there ought to be an intrusion into somebody’s life without an awfully good reason.”

The NHL’s policies of refraining from punishing players who test positive for cannabis feel especially prudent given the expanding legality of the substance.

Some at the NHL have even spoken publicly about the potential benefits of cannabis for athletes, specifically CBD. Connor McDavid, player for the Edmonton Oilers, told the Associated Press, “You’d be stupid not to at least look into [CBD] … When your body’s sore like it is sometimes, you don’t want to be taking pain stuff and taking Advil all the time.”  

Indeed, given the amount of pain, soreness, and injury experienced by athletes, it follows that those in the NHL and other organizations may look further into cannabis, as the pain relief potential of CBD has increased in popularity. 

Going Forward

Although it is unlikely that the NHL will publicly embrace cannabis any time soon, their testing policy is progressive, especially compared to other sports organizations. Athletes in the NHL can at least rest assured that the use of cannabis will not cause them to lose their position or be otherwise penalized.