Apr 13 - NFL Bans Marijuana Yet Strong, Dangerous Painkillers Okay

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We’ve reported on various NFL players who have been fined and suspended for their marijuana use. The latest player to be punished is Detroit Lions’ running back Mikel Leshoure:
The Detroit Lions running back, who missed his entire 2011 rookie season with a torn Achilles tendon, was arrested twice in less than a month on charges of marijuana possession in Michigan this offseason. In the latest incident, Leshoure failed to show for arraignment on Monday. Police reports indicate he tried to eat the marijuana he had on him during a traffic stop.

But Leshoure has been in trouble for marijuana use before. As the NFP’s Dan Pompei reported a year ago, Leshoure was suspended for a game at Illinois in 2009 after he tested positive for marijuana. Then Illini coach Ron Zook suspended Leshoure for the 2009 season opener against Illinois State. Hat tip to Philip Zaroo of MLive.com for not letting this sneak by.

Of course, Leshoure is just one of three 2011 draft picks for the Lions to be caught with marijuana this offseason. First-round draft pick Nick Fairley was arrested on Tuesday in Mobile, Ala. But Leshoure now has three strikes on him with the drug and will clearly be a target for the NFL after the court system finishes with Leshoure. Because this is his second arrest, he’s currently facing a felony charge.

Given the punishment these men’s bodies must endure, maybe marijuana use ought to be mandatory. It would certainly be a safer option than getting these athletes hooked on prescription opiates:

A study commissioned by ESPN and[..]isted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows retired NFL players misuse painkillers at a rate of 4-to-1 compared to the general public.

Miami Dolphins tight end Dan Johnson’s teammates called him “King of Pain” because of the myriad injuries he suffered throughout his career from 1983 through 1987. He became addicted to painkillers after two back surgeries.

“I was taking about 1,000 Vicodins a month,” Johnson told ESPN. “People go, ‘That’s impossible. That’s crazy.’ No, it’s exactly what I was taking. I mean, believe me, I’d love to be off medications. That’s my worry every day, to make sure I have medication.”

More than half of the surveyed former players reported using prescription painkillers during their playing days. Of that same group, 71 percent admitted misusing the drugs during their time in the NFL

So, what's the point of this story?

People get seriously injured playing professional football every single game, no !! they're gonna use painkillers.

So what?

its the abuse that is the problem.

and the acceptance of opiate use compared to the use of a cannibanoid.

one is virtually harmless, while the other is dangerous, addictive, and powerful. yet marijuana is shunned and unaccepted, while people addicted to synthetic heroin and other painkillers are accepted.

does that make any sense?

I want that Ricky Williams bong. [pic]

It makes sense when you are treating severe pain. Addiction is an unfortunate possible consequence of such medical treatment, but comparing recreational marijuana use with the medical use of opiates out of necessity, due to the extremely violent and brutal nature of professional football, is comparing apples and oranges.

I don't see the connection.

And I wouldn't say weed is shunned (besides by the federal government) and I wouldn't say addiction is accepted. It should be treated as a serious health problem but should not be judged on moral terms, since it often patients that become addicted to their medication out of necessity because of !!ed up injuries. Weed is pretty accepted in our culture. It's just not legal, yet.

Marijuana being viewed in a bad light is pure ignorance, rx wins again, dunno who's more evil between the people who own private prisons or the people who own the prescription pill companies

The people who work for pharmaceutical companies are "evil" now? How so?

Greedy? Yes. Evil? Huh?

its a bad road to go down. because you need to the drugs for pain, but eventually you turn to abusing the drugs instead of taking them by doctors orders. thats when !! gets bad.

You don't need drugs for pain, you need better strength and conditioning coaches and a system where by children aren't encouraged to eat themselves to a titanic proportion.

No other sports with similar wear and tear as football have the same painkiller dependency. It's a cultural problem, just as drug abuse in pro-wrestling is a cultural problem.

I dismiss, out of hand, any suggestion that it's valid through requirement.

Don't worry, the Polynesians will bring the Kava kava culture through soon enough