The National Basketball Association has recently been showing support of both medical and social cannabis, and recognizing its medicinal qualities.

Last week, NBA Commissioner David Stern said he thinks cannabis should be “completely legal” and taken off the league’s list of banned substances. Stern’s position on medical cannabis changed after watching a CNN series on the topic.

“I think all of the leagues are now appropriately focused on player training, structuring of the right parts of their body, player rehabilitation in the case of injury, player nutrition, player this, player that,” he said. “This should be a part of that conversation. Can you imagine if we could create a situation where every superstar was able to play one additional year?”

Former NBA player Al Harrington said he consumed CBD the last three years of his career, and now considers himself a medical cannabis advocate.

According to Detroit Pistons Head Coach Stan Van Gundy, the NBA will be involved in complex issues as more states are legalizing cannabis.

“I think the NBA is going to be in a tough spot down the road – not just medical – but as more states legalize marijuana even for recreational use,” Van Gundy said. “That doesn’t mean you have to allow it. There’s still some businesses who test for it, but you let people be impaired by alcohol because it’s legal, how are you going to draw that distinction with marijuana in states that it’s legal?”

Van Gundy is concerned about players in Denver, Boston, Oakland, Portland and Los Angeles, where social cannabis is, or will soon be legal, and said he would not know how to tell them there may be repercussions for using a substance that is legal for adults.

“While (current NBA) commissioner (Adam) Silver has said that we are interested in better understanding the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana, our position remains unchanged regarding the use by current NBA players of marijuana for recreational purposes,” said NBA spokesman Mike Bass.