Medical Marijuana Question?

[Billy Z]

 

What are the USGA rules on medical marijuana while competing in a tournament? I know of an individual who does this on a regular basis while playing to relieve stress, and wonder if he is breaking the rules?

[Jeremie Boop]

  On 9/18/2019 at 7:35 PM, Billy Z said:

 

What are the USGA rules on medical marijuana while competing in a tournament? I know of an individual who does this on a regular basis while playing to relieve stress, and wonder if he is breaking the rules?

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I can only imagine using something like this during a round would definitely be against the rules. It would be a performance enhancing effect to reduce stress during a competition.

[Rulesman]

Try these re Therapeutic Use Exemption  :

https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/2018/2017-2018_Anti_Doping_Manual.PDF

https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/Championship Resources/IGF_TUE_Form 2014.pdf

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by Rulesman

[djake]

  On 9/18/2019 at 7:35 PM, Billy Z said:

 

What are the USGA rules on medical marijuana while competing in a tournament? I know of an individual who does this on a regular basis while playing to relieve stress, and wonder if he is breaking the rules?

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Also breaking state laws?  Not every state has legalized medicinal marijuana.  

CBD oil is legal in every state though

[NM Golf]

  On 9/18/2019 at 7:49 PM, Jeremie Boop said:

I can only imagine using something like this during a round would definitely be against the rules. It would be a performance enhancing effect to reduce stress during a competition.

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ummm no...it's not performance enhancing at all.

 

[Billy Z]

  On 9/19/2019 at 1:04 AM, NM Golf said:

ummm no...it's not performance enhancing at all.

 

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I think it is performance enhancing, by virture of it relaxing a golfer, therefore pressure is easier to deal with. 

[Piz]

All the more reason to stick with Medicinal Scotch or Medicinal Bourbon.

[colin007]

It's weed. Who cares.

[Rulesman]

  On 9/19/2019 at 3:04 AM, colin007 said:

It's weed. Who cares.

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The USGA, PGA & LPGA it would seem

[MarvChamp]

  On 9/19/2019 at 3:04 AM, colin007 said:

It's weed. Who cares.

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Yay! Mellow Yellow! -Marv

[Lihu]

  On 9/19/2019 at 3:01 AM, Piz said:

All the more reason to stick with Medicinal Scotch or Medicinal Bourbon.

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John Daly comes to mind here 😂

 

  On 9/18/2019 at 10:33 PM, djake said:

Also breaking state laws?  Not every state has legalized medicinal marijuana.  

CBD oil is legal in every state though

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It’s still against federal laws, and I would  think PGA would not allow its use just because of that?

[Jeremie Boop]

  On 9/19/2019 at 1:04 AM, NM Golf said:

ummm no...it's not performance enhancing at all.

 

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I was very clear in how I was meaning performance enhancement.

 

  On 9/19/2019 at 2:06 AM, Billy Z said:

I think it is performance enhancing, by virture of it relaxing a golfer, therefore pressure is easier to deal with. 

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See, he gets it.

  On 9/19/2019 at 3:01 AM, Piz said:

All the more reason to stick with Medicinal Scotch or Medicinal Bourbon.

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Maybe I'm mistaken, but I didn't think that golfers were allowed to drink during rounds either.

[Patch]

Last I read, legal, medical mary jane had to be used only  in one's private residence. Not used, or be under it's influence in public, or when driving. 

There are so many different laws, state by state, it tough to know what is, and what isn't legal. 

I would think in OP's question, regardless of the USGA stance, the guy is breaking state laws, using his pot in public, and/or driving under the influence if he drives himself to the golf course.. 

[NM Golf]

  On 9/19/2019 at 2:06 AM, Billy Z said:

I think it is performance enhancing, by virture of it relaxing a golfer, therefore pressure is easier to deal with. 

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  On 9/19/2019 at 1:02 PM, Jeremie Boop said:

I was very clear in how I was meaning performance enhancement.

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But it's not. I do not know your background with marijuana, but even the most relaxing indica strain would cause slowed reaction time and fine motor skills would be diminished.  Neither of those things would be conducive to playing better golf. No one is that nervous where it would be a good trade off. I don't mean to argue with either of you, I am just saying in NO WAY can I see how marijuana use during a round of golf would be performance enhancing. 

[Billy Z]

  On 9/19/2019 at 1:15 PM, Patch said:

Last I read, legal, medical mary jane had to be used only  in one's private residence. Not used, or be under it's influence in public, or when driving. 

There are so many different laws, state by state, it tough to know what is, and what isn't legal. 

I would think in OP's question, regardless of the USGA stance, the guy is breaking state laws, using his pot in public, and/or driving under the influence if he drives himself to the golf course.. 

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I think I'm in agreement with this comment. 

[Jeremie Boop]

  On 9/19/2019 at 1:46 PM, NM Golf said:

 

But it's not. I do not know your background with marijuana, but even the most relaxing indica strain would cause slowed reaction time and fine motor skills would be diminished.  Neither of those things would be conducive to playing better golf. No one is that nervous where it would be a good trade off. I don't mean to argue with either of you, I am just saying in NO WAY can I see how marijuana use during a round of golf would be performance enhancing. 

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I can only relate back to my several years experience of golfing with guys in my previous league who would suddenly play much better as soon as they started smoking. It was a given, within a hole or 2 of them lighting up their scores would drop. As usual, it's only anecdotal so I fully expect people to immediately disregard it.

[Rulesman]

It's all somewhat irrelevant. The USGA has a rule in place which covers the topic for golfing purposes.

[Eric C]

Having played many, many rounds while under the influence of marijuana I can personally attest to it not being performance enhancing.  Against the rules?  Perhaps.  But not performance enhancing. Quite the opposite. Everyone reacts differently to being high, and while it may well reduce stress it also certainly reduces one's ability to focus.  Golf requires focus.  I'd get high and kick ass for about two holes, then be all over the place.

I haven't used marijuana since moving to Florida because it's not legal here, and I don't have a qualifying medicinal reason to get a prescription.  I could of course make one up, because it's not like getting a prescription is difficult, but it's not such an important thing to me that I feel the need to go out of my way.  I personally don't see a difference between drinking or smoking beyond the legal aspect - both are personal decisions, and when used responsibly should be an individual's choice.