Matt Barnes: Half the NBA has gone through a league-mandated drug program for cannabis use

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A second positive test leads to a $25,000 fine and a third test positive results in a 5-game suspension. Players who test positive need to enter a substance abuse program after their first violation. Matt Barnes was the most recent guest on The Ringer‘s podcast Winging it with Vince Carter and he had a lot to say about cannabis use in the NBA, including that half the league has gone through an NBA-mandated drug treatment program for cannabis use. Pain killers upset his stomach and he found cannabis to be an effective therapy. Barnes, who played 15 seasons in the league, says that after he tested positive for cannabis and completed the drug program a few times he became friends with the people running it, who revealed how busy they had been. “They said over 200-plus players were in the drug program, particularly for weed.

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Matt Barnes was the most recent guest on The Ringer‘s podcast Winging it with Vince Carter and he had a lot to say about cannabis use in the NBA, including that half the league has gone through an NBA-mandated drug treatment program for cannabis use.

Barnes, who played 15 seasons in the league, says that after he tested positive for cannabis and completed the drug program a few times he became friends with the people running it, who revealed how busy they had been.

“They said over 200-plus players were in the drug program, particularly for weed. That’s half the NBA, which to me...

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