Valley Stadiums & Cannabis — State Farm, Chase Field, Footprint Center

Last verified: April 2026

The Universal Rule

Cannabis is prohibited inside every Valley stadium under league policies plus stadium clear-bag rules. NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL leaguewide policies all prohibit fans bringing cannabis into the stadium, and the leagues’ player programs continue to test for and (in NFL/MLB) discipline for cannabis use, though both have softened policies post-2020.

State Farm Stadium — Cardinals & Super Bowls

State Farm Stadium (Glendale; opened 2006 as University of Phoenix Stadium) is the home of the Arizona Cardinals. It has hosted four Super Bowls:

• Super Bowl XXX (1996) — at Sun Devil Stadium (predecessor venue)
• Super Bowl XLII (2008)
• Super Bowl XLIX (2015)
• Super Bowl LVII (2023)

Plus multiple Final Fours and Fiesta Bowls. Phoenix is part of the regular NFL Super Bowl rotation along with Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Tampa, and Miami.

Cannabis is strictly prohibited inside State Farm Stadium under the NFL Public Safety Policy and the stadium’s clear-bag/prohibited-items list — this includes flower, vapes, edibles, and concentrates, regardless of Arizona’s adult-use law. The Cardinals’ published prohibited items list includes "chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes/vaping devices" and "any" non-compliant container.

Chase Field — Diamondbacks

Chase Field (downtown Phoenix) is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB). The stadium opened in 1998. Cannabis is prohibited on premises under MLB leaguewide policy plus stadium clear-bag rules.

MLB’s player program removed marijuana from its banned substances list in the 2019 offseason and no longer conducts routine THC testing for major leaguers. Fan policy remains no-cannabis on stadium grounds.

Footprint Center — Suns & Mercury

Footprint Center (downtown Phoenix; previously Talking Stick Resort Arena, US Airways Center, America West Arena) hosts the Phoenix Suns (NBA) and Phoenix Mercury (WNBA). Cannabis is prohibited on premises under NBA leaguewide policy plus stadium rules.

The NBA went furthest of any league, formally removing cannabis from its anti-drug testing program under the 2023 CBA after pausing testing during the COVID-19 season and never resuming. The WNBA still tests under its separate 2020 CBA but limits penalties to repeat offenses. Fan policy remains no-cannabis on premises.

Desert Diamond Arena — Coyotes Departed

Desert Diamond Arena (Glendale; formerly Gila River Arena) was the home of the Arizona Coyotes NHL team. The Coyotes franchise relocated/sold to Salt Lake City for the 2024–25 NHL season; Desert Diamond Arena no longer hosts NHL hockey but continues to host concerts, AHL games, and other events. Cannabis prohibited on premises.

Cactus League Stadiums

The 10 Cactus League spring-training stadiums (February–March) all prohibit cannabis on premises under MLB policy plus stadium rules. See our Cactus League page for the full list.

Bag Screening & Discovery

All Valley major-stadium gates use:

• Clear-bag policy (only clear plastic bags up to specified dimensions; some stadiums allow small clutch-style bags)
• Visual or hand inspection of bags
• Magnetometer or wand
• K-9 detection at some events (varies)

Discovery of cannabis at a gate typically results in:

• Confiscation
• Possible refusal of admission
• For under-21 fans: notification and possible state-law petty offense
• For 21+ adults with quantities below state-law limits: typically no criminal charge, but the cannabis is gone

Practical Advice for Sports Fans

• Consume before the event, off-stadium-property. Edibles are popular for game days because they can be timed for arrival but consumed at home or hotel.
• Do not bring cannabis to the stadium. Even a small vape will be discovered by bag inspection.
• Use rideshare or Waymo to and from the stadium. Cannabis + alcohol + driving home is an Arizona DUI / "any detectable amount" THC exposure.
• For tribal-land stadiums (Salt River Fields): Cannabis is legal under tribal law on SRPMIC land but prohibited inside the stadium. Possession in the parking lot is legal; consumption is not.

Player Cannabis Policies in 2026

The major leagues have diverged on player cannabis policy:

• NFL: 2020 CBA limited THC testing to the first two weeks of training camp. December 2024: positive test threshold raised from 150 to 350 ng/mL. Players who test positive face fines ($15,000 for a first offense) rather than suspensions. Teams are told only that a positive result occurred, not which substance triggered it.
• MLB: Removed marijuana from banned-substances list in 2019. No routine THC testing.
• NBA: Removed cannabis from anti-drug testing program under the 2023 CBA. No testing.
• NHL: Cannabis is not a banned substance. Tests for THC but imposes no punishment for positive results, instead offering voluntary participation in a behavioral health program.
• MLS: Follows World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules — cannabis banned in-competition with 150 ng/mL threshold. Players face potential fines, suspensions, or mandatory treatment — the strictest regime among North American leagues.