Sports leagues unfazed by votes to legalize marijuana

• Despite voter preferences, leagues note marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
• Colorado governor warns constituents not to move too fast, as law may face challenges.
• NCAA says rules are not based solely on legality, but on what is best for student-athletes.

Voter approval of recreational marijuana use in Colorado and Washington ignited a burst of jokes on social media about how professional and college teams in those states would hold an advantage in attracting athletes who like to light up.

Reality shot down that smoke screen on Wednesday.

"The NFL's policy is collectively bargained and will continue to apply in the same manner it has for decades," league spokesman Greg Aiello said. "Marijuana remains prohibited under the NFL substance abuse program and the Colorado and Washington laws will have no impact..."

The responses from the NBA and MLB were almost identical. The NCAA said the vote to legalize marijuana use would not affect its drug-testing policy. NASCAR and MLS chimed in, citing the legislation's looming obstacle -- a potential challenge from the federal government over jurisdiction.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, which prompted Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper to warn his constituents they should not "break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly."

"Anyone who thinks it's a weed free-for-all in Colorado as a result of the legislation is mistaken," said Bronson Hilliard, director of communications at the University of Colorado, where smoking anything on campus is against the rules because it's a fire hazard.

If the law is enacted, a student age 21 years or older can use marijuana in private, but his or her fellow student-athletes cannot.

"The NCAA banned drug and testing policies are not tied to whether a substance is legal for general population use, but rather whether the substance is considered a threat to student-athlete health and safety or the integrity of the game," NCAA spokesperson Erik Christianson said.

Hall of Famer and former Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe told USA TODAY Sports that the NFL standards are not based solely on what is legal.

"There's a lot of things that are legal outside of the NFL. Ephedra, Adderall -- there's certain things you can take as a normal citizen walking around the street that are legal," Sharpe said.

John Infante, a former compliance officer at Colorado State and Loyola Marymount, said gradual reform might occur regarding penalties for athletes caught using marijuana.

"But I doubt it will ever be permitted, especially during the season, because legal or not, coaches believe it will decrease performance, just like alcohol," said Infante, a NCAA expert at AthleticScholarships.com.

NCAA president Mark Emmert said Wednesday his organization hasn't held any discussions on relaxing its standards.

Sharpe says in the NFL "it will never happen."

"Not in our lifetime because of the way kids follow what NFL players do. If you look at Little League football, kids who play want to wear the pink towels and shoes for breast cancer awareness. They follow everything that the big guys do."

Contributing: Jim Corbett