Is CBD a doping?

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Removes CBD From 2018 List of Prohibited Substances

Many athletes across a variety of sports have been unable to use CBD because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) currently has listed it as a prohibited substance. However, WADA recently released their updated prohibited list for 2018 and CBD will no longer be prohibited for use by athletes.

t’s important to note that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the better known psychoactive component of cannabis and its derivatives are still on the prohibited list for 2018. As a result, athletes who wish to use CBD must ensure any products they use don’t contain any THC.

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), therapeutic use exemptions will only be considered for legal, FDA-approved uses of THC with prescription products such as Dronabinol and Marinol. WADA’s prohibited list states that natural cannabinoid sources like cannabis, hashish, and marijuana as well as synthetic cannabinoids like Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabimimetics remain prohibited.

The fact  that cannabis was included in the list of prohibited substances for athletes following the surge of anti-drug panic is no mystery. When it comes to marijuana – a form of hemp with a high content of psychoactive THC – the matter is simple. Although it may seem that the weed, with its drowsy effect is the opposite of a doping, it is actually considered a performance enhancer due to its bronchial dilatory effect – hence, its exclusion from professional sports is quite justified.

The history of steroids and other drugs and the Olympics is very much like a “Tom and Jerry” cartoon. Ever since the first tests dating back to 1968, the Olympics have been plagued with positive screenings for all sorts of sports-enhancing drugs.

Every year, new tests come out, and every year, new chemical analogs are created to fool the labs. The cat and mouse game continues to this day.

But the paradox is clear. Using drugs to super-charge one’s performance above their max potential is one thing – cheating; consuming natural plant derivatives to recover from the intensity of athletics is another thing entirely.

Here the issue seems simpler: ever-louder appeals of the athletes and scientists, combined with the CBD’s ability to reduce the use of really dangerous substances (opioids) and certain benefits for users (though not strong enough to provide them with an unfair advantage) make removing the CBD from the prohibited substances list just a matter of time. It can be expected that (as is the case of other hemp-related laws) after being approved by the American legislator, cannabidiol will promptly be accepted around the world.