Stephen A. Smith urges NBA to reinstate marijuana ban as performance‑enhancing drug

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has publicly called for the National Basketball Association (NBA) to re‑impose a ban on marijuana, arguing that the drug should be classified as a performance‑enhancing substance. Smith said that marijuana’s anxiety‑reducing effects give players an unfair advantage by calming nerves and improving poise under pressure. He referenced the league’s temporary suspension of random marijuana testing during the 2020 NBA bubble and the subsequent 2023 decision, included in the seven‑year collective bargaining agreement, to remove marijuana from its list of prohibited substances. Smith maintains that this policy change was a mistake and that the NBA should again prohibit marijuana use among its athletes.

The comments have drawn attention to the ongoing debate over marijuana policy in professional sports, with many players supporting the league’s current stance while Smith and a minority of critics argue for stricter regulation.