CHIBA, Japan – Robert Garrigus and Matt Every were each given three-month suspensions this year by the PGA Tour for violating the circuit’s policy for drugs of abuse, which in both cases involved cannabis.
Both players took responsibility for the violation and they also took exception to the Tour’s policy when it comes to cannabis and the legal use of marijuana.
“If you have some sort of pain and CBD or THC may help that, and you feel like it can help you and be prescribed by a doctor, then what are we doing?” said Garrigus, who added that he was using prescribed marijuana to treat knee and back pain.
Similarly, Every said in a statement that he was taking “prescribed cannabis for a mental health condition by my physician.” He also said he understands the World Anti-Doping Agency’s policy toward cannabis, but “I don’t agree with it for many reasons.”
Medical marijuana use is legal in both Arizona and Florida, where Garrigus and Every live, respectively, and the violations have prompted some to question why a legal substance with virtually no performance-enhancing benefit should be on the banned list.
On Wednesday at the Zozo Championship, Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was asked about the policy.
“Ultimately, we don’t determine what is a banned substance and what’s not, we rely on WADA for doing that,” Monahan said. “We’ll continue to stay very close not only to that substance but any potential substance that would come on or come off the list.”