The effectiveness of the law that regulates the use of marijuana, which is expected to come into full force at the end of the year, sets a whole new scenario for Uruguay. And the experience will be a whole new challenge for the fight against drugs in sports.
“We will have to be extremely cautious when the recreational use of marijuana becomes a regular habit and the persons using it practice sports,” said Dr. José Veloso, Chief of Doping Control of the National Anti-Doping Organization in Uruguay and member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WAA) to El Observador.
In that sense, he highlighted that if he was the doctor of an athlete or a professional team, he would “recommend them to refrain from using products deriving from cannabis at least three days before any competition”. He also stressed that the more frequent the use of marijuana, the more amount of residue will remain inside the body, which could be detected in drug tests.
When making reference to how cautious professional athletes should be, Veloso said it is “essential” that they “do not use any derivative of cannabinoids”. “This kind of substance is an ally of the rivals. If I were an athlete I would wish my rival used marijuana. It is ideal to lose a championship,” he said.
Passive Smoking
The effectiveness of the new law will turn passive smoking into a frequent scenario. In these situations, the question is if athletes´ drug test may be positive for inhaling cannabis smoke. “These days, analysis are extremely accurate, able to detect the difference of the urinary metabolites because of marijuana use and its derivatives in users and passive smokers which will determine the anti-doping violation,” said Veloso.
So, will athletes be able to share a room with a person who is smoking marijuana? “Yes, they will, but the situation should not be frequent,” he answered. “If the athlete is constantly inhaling smoke in the air for a whole month, the amount of residue will be higher,” he explained.
Be Careful with Suspensions
Veloso believes the usual cares of athletes should increase, considering this new law coming into force.“Having the possibility to use this drug does not mean it cannot be detected in a drug control test”.
The World Anti-Doping Code of the AMA does not make a difference between a country that has regulated the use of drugs and one that did not: suspensions are still valid.
“I Believe In Athletes”
When asked about the influence this law will have on sports, the doping specialist said: “I believe it will not have an impact on sports. “I believe in athletes. They know what they want, they should have clear goals and be smart. We should be able to differentiate passion from reason, but usually these drugs make the task more difficult”.
“This issue touches us all, teachers and pupils. Because of a positive test of marijuana an athlete may be suspended for six months the first time; the relapse may mean another 18 months or two years; but a third time may mean 10 years and this may represent a whole life for an athlete,” said Veloso.
