New threshold level for cannabis

Dear Colleagues,

Following the decision to increase the threshold level for cannabis by WADA Executive Committee at the May 11, 2013 meeting, the Technical Document on Decision Limits for the Confirmatory Quantification of Threshold Substances (TD2013DL) was revised to reflect the applicable modifications affecting compliance decisions for Carboxy-THC.

The TD2013DL (version 2.0) is effective as of May 11, 2013 and can be found on WADA's Web site.

According to article 1.0 of the International Standard for Laboratories, “the document in effect will be that Technical Document whose effective date most recently precedes that of Sample receipt date.”

This means that all samples received by the laboratories post May 11 will be subject to the new threshold level.

However, as a matter of fairness and to provide consistency, WADA advises that present cases, currently in the results management phase, where the reported concentration is less than the new threshold (150 ng/mL) should not be proceeded with any further.

Further, the laboratories are requested not to report any THC case below the threshold, regardless of the sample receipt date, when the analysis is conducted from May 11 onwards.

Best regards,

World Anti-Doping Agency