Major League Baseball made changes to its drug use program by removing marijuana from its list of “drugs of abuse” and adding drug testing for opioids and cocaine.
“The opioid epidemic in our country is an issue of significant concern to Major League Baseball,” Dan Halem, the MLB deputy commissioner, said in a Thursday statement. “It is our hope that this agreement — which is based on principles of prevention, treatment, awareness and education — will help protect the health and safety of our Players.”
The new policy will take effect before the 2020 season. The players union said they were in agreement with the changes to the drug policy.
“Players are overwhelmingly in favor of expanding our drug-testing regimen to include opioids, and want to take a leadership role in helping to resolve this national epidemic,” Tony Clark, executive director of the MLBPA, said in a statement.
Jim Carroll, the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said the new drug policy will help protect players. “Millions of Americans struggle with substance misuse and need help. We applaud the efforts of both Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association to prioritize treatment over punishment,” he said in a statement. “By coming together, the parties are implementing positive change that has the potential to save lives.”
Today, @MLB and the @MLB_PLAYERS jointly announced significant changes to the Drug of Abuse provisions of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. pic.twitter.com/jIie1JDVAg
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) December 12, 2019
The MLB plans to treat marijuana “the same as alcohol-related conduct.” Players with marijuana issues will be referred to voluntary treatment and the possibility for discipline exists, depending on the situation.
