NCAA council votes to remove cannabis from banned drug list, removes limits on on-field coaches

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I council voted to remove use of cannabis products from the banned drug class for championships and postseason participation in football.

The move was among several approved by the council on Tuesday, including allowing college football teams to have all staffers, and not just the head coach and 10 assistants, coach athletes on the field.

Any penalties currently being served by student-athletes who previously tested positive for cannabinoids will be discontinued.

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said in a statement that cannabis products “do not provide a competitive advantage.”

“The council’s focus is on policies centered on student-athlete health and well-being rather than punishment for cannabis use," he continued.

As far as additional coaches working on the field, positions like analysts and quality control staffers were only allowed to work off the field in film and strategy sessions.

“NCAA members continue efforts to modernize support for student-athletes, and removing restrictions on skill instruction in football will provide those student-athletes with increased resources to achieve their greatest on-field potential,” Whitman said.

Also not banned: the popular energy drink Celsius. 

The claims that energy drinks can cause a positive drug test result have been circulating online for years. In 2019 and 2020, false claims went viral online that energy drinks Red Bull and Bang tested positive for drugs.