Major League Baseball drug policy


Major League Baseball's drug policy—the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program—was established by agreement between the MLB Players Association and the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. The goal was to deter and end the use of banned substances, including anabolic steroids and other illegal drugs, and to "provide for, in keeping with the overall purposes of the Program, an orderly, systematic, and cooperative resolution of any disputes that may arise concerning the existence, interpretation, or application" of the policy itself. The Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program was adopted in the Spring of 2006.
While the Health Policy Advisory Committee can make recommendations to the Office of the Commissioner regarding punishment, it has no power to discipline players for violations of the drug policy, except to place them in the appropriate treatment programs. Such authority belongs to the Office of the Commissioner.

Prohibited substances

Under the policy, all players are prohibited from using, possessing, selling, facilitating the sale of, distributing, or facilitating the distribution of any Drug of Abuse, human growth hormone and Steroid. Any and all drugs or substances listed under Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act are considered drugs of abuse covered by the Program. Players who require prescription medication can still use it with a "Therapeutic Use Exemption" granted by the MLB.
Prohibited Substances may be added to the list only by the unanimous vote of HPAC, provided that the addition by the federal government of a substance to Schedule I, II, or III will automatically result in that substance being added to the list.

Testing for banned substances

Steroids

Testing is administered via scientifically-validated urine test.
Each Player shall be tested upon reporting to spring training. All Players will be selected for an additional unannounced urine specimen collection during the season on a randomly selected date.

Drugs of Abuse

Testing for drugs of abuse is not administered randomly, but on a basis of reasonable cause. If one of the HPAC panel members has evidence that a player has used, possessed, or sold banned substances in the last 12 months, they call a conference and discuss the evidence with the other members. If a majority vote to test the suspected player is reached then testing will take place no more than 48 hours later. Drugs of abuse include natural cannabinoids, synthetic THC and cannabimimetics, cocaine, LSD, opiates, MDMA, GHB and phencyclidine.

Testing procedure

Players and the collector must instruct the player to return in an hour, during which he can only drink 15 oz. of fluid in a sealed container certified by the collector.

Testing protocols

Any test conducted under the Program will be considered "positive" under the following circumstances:
  1. If any substance identified in the test results meets the levels set forth below.
  2. A Player refuses or, without good cause, fails to take a test or refuses to cooperate with the testing process.
  3. A Player attempts to substitute, dilute, mask or adulterate a specimen sample or in any other manner alter a test.
    Drugs of abuse
Steroids
A test is considered positive if a sufficient amount of Steroid is present, except the presence of nandrolone, which is considered positive only if the level exceeds 2 ng/ml.
Stimulants
The presence of a Stimulant shall be considered a positive only if the level exceeds 250 ng/ml, unless specified otherwise below:
DrugConfirmation Test Level
Amfepramone 500
Amphetaminil2000
Chlorphentermine500
Clortermine500
Ephedrine10
Methylphenidate1000
Phenpentermine1000
Phentermine500
Notification
HPAC immediately notifies the Player and the Club of the positive drug test result.

In-Season testing

On January 10, 2013, MLB and the players union reached an agreement to add random, in-season human growth hormone and to a new test to reveal the use of testosterone. Testing began the 2013 season.

Clinical and administrative tracks

All players who enter the program are placed on the Clinical track, except when a player tests positive for steroids, does not comply with the initial evaluation, cooperate in his treatment, is convicted or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to the sale or use and prohibited substance, or participates in the sale or distribution of any banned substance. In that event, the player is placed in the Administrative Track. HPAC has the discretion to place a player in the Administrative Track in any other event, but not solely on the basis that the player is in an inpatient treatment program. Transfer to the Administrative track is contingent on a majority vote, and in the case of a tie, a fifth member must cast a vote based on reasonable cause and cannot consider past practice.
These votes are tallied and set forth in progressing games

Salary retention

Players are entitled to salary retention for the first 30 days they are required to be in inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment that forces his absence from the Club, and half salary retention for the next thirty days, over the course of his career. However, players are not entitled to salary retention for any such period after 60 days during the course of his career.

Player evaluations

Players are required to be evaluated at least once by HPAC, to determine the proper treatment program. HPAC may decide that additional meetings and medical and/or toxicology examinations are required.

Confidentiality

, the Association, HPAC, Club personnel, and all of their members, affiliates, agents, consultants and employees, are prohibited from publicly disclosing information about the Player’s test results, Initial Evaluation, diagnosis, Treatment Program, prognosis or compliance with the Program.

Discipline

Failure to comply with treatment program

All suspensions are without pay.

Positive steroid test results

All suspensions are without pay.