ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith is calling on the NBA to reinstate its ban on marijuana, arguing the drug should be classified as a performance-enhancing substance.
The NBA stopped testing players for marijuana during the 2020 Covid Bubble as a temporary measure. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, the league officially removed marijuana from its list of banned substances after approving a new collective bargaining agreement.
Smith said that decision does not sit well with him. Performance-enhancing status is typically reserved for drugs like steroids or growth hormones that improve muscle mass, recovery and development, but Smith argued the calming effects of cannabis deserve the same classification.
"I consider weed a performance-enhancing drug," Smith said on an episode of "The Culture Table," a podcast from his production company, Straight Shooter Media.
Smith said street players can match NBA talent physically but lack two things professionals have: discipline and steady nerves. He said weed can calm the fidgetiness that separates a talented street player from a professional, helping with poise under pressure.
"You can be a bada** player, but the moment you get fidgety, weed helps subside that. Calms the nerves," Smith said. "It ain't just your athletic ability, it's your poise under pressure, it's your nerves."
'You are immune to the pressure'
Smith said players who use the drug to calm their nerves become immune to the pressure of hostile crowds, heckling and tense moments in road arenas, which he considers part of the competition.
"So, to me, if you are using a drug that helps you calm your nerves, and to elevate your poise, that's a performance-enhancer. You are immune to the pressure," Smith said. "I've seen the greatest walk up in pressure moments, and fold. In any sport, we've seen it. So, if weed is something that helps that, that's a performance-enhancer. It shouldn't be allowed."
It is unclear whether Smith believes other anti-anxiety drugs should also be banned for athletes.
Social media users criticized Smith's take, arguing he overstated the drug's effects. One Instagram comment said smoking a blunt before a 48-minute game would not help during crunch time, adding that Smith "just talks with such conviction it makes yall think he knows what he's talking about."
Another comment argued that reducing anxiety does not automatically make a substance a performance enhancer, asking whether ashwagandha should be banned for the same reason. A different user joked that weed gives them panic attacks.
Despite Smith's comments, it is considered highly unlikely that the NBA will change its policy on marijuana.
