By Aiberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Marijuana is legal in several states.

Cannabis remains a banned substance on the WADA Prohibited List. 

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Testing positive for cannabis will cost Casey Kania a two-year ban from tennis.

Kania has been hit with a two-year ban after testing positive for cannabis on 10 August 2023, at an ATP Challenger tournament in Cary, North Carolina.

The 21-year-old Kania provided an in-competition urine sample, which contained cannabis.

Cannabis is a cannabinoid banned in competition under section S8 of the WADA Prohibited List. Kania, who reached a career-high world doubles ranking of 1317 in August 2023, did not possess a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for the substance.

A laboratory analysis of the B sample on November 7, 2023 confirmed the presence of cannabis, Kania was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under articles 2.1 and/or 2.2 of the TADP.

The ITIA accepted that Kania did not intentionally breach the provisions of the TADP, but ruled he was unable to demonstrate that they bore No Fault or Negligence for their violation.

Therefore, Kania was suspended two years rather than four years. Kania’s two-year period of ineligibility began February 2, 2024, the date that the decision was issued, and ends on February 1, 2026. His results, ranking points and prize money obtained at the Cary Challenger and in subsequent events are also disqualified.

Photo credit: Casey Kania Instagram