Dr. Scott E. Hadland
On Friday, a star American sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson, was barred from competing in her signature Olympic event, the women’s 100-meter dash. Her infraction? Testing positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. Although Richardson’s drug test was obtained in Oregon, where Olympic trials were held and where recreational cannabis use among adults is legal, World Anti-Doping Agency rules dictated that she be suspended from competition for at least one month.
Sha’Carri Richardson and other athletes who use cannabis should be allowed to compete. Professional athletes should not undergo cannabis testing in the first place. The U.S. Olympic Committee should exercise its considerable influence and have cannabis removed