Irving was suspended indefinitely for violating NFL's substance abuse policy in 2019, and now is back under "provisional" reinstatement, while he is being tested for COVID. In March, the NFL's level of THC triggering a positive test was increased fourfold from 35 to 150 ng/ml, among other policy reforms negotiated by the NFL Players Association.
On Instagram, where he announced his resignation from football, Irving calls himself an "NFL Player turned Cannabis Activist." He told Sports Illustrated in February, "I've been smoking since I was in middle school. Always had a 3.0 GPA. Never had any trouble with the law." He added that cannabis could help the NFL with its CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) problem.
"I know the perception people have of me is that I'm some sort of
gangsta, homeless pothead," Irving told SI. "But I gave up football for a bigger cause. I
want to change the bias toward marijuana. I want to educate America that
it's not a drug, it's medicine."
