(Poll) Should the NFL lift its ban on marijuana?

[den-the-coach]

Never smoked it, truly I never did. Did not do it in High School because I thought I was a world class athlete (LOL) and then went into the military at 17 and well, it was frowned upon. My Uncle had a hard time with recreational drugs so that was the reason I refrained so vehemently.

However, I have no issue with it but concur with @Mojo Ram Corporations like the NFL want to promote a drug free environment and that is their right as well, IMHO, there should be some common ground like Alcohol. As long as the drug is not abused companies should allow it just like people enjoying an adult beverage or two on the weekend individuals should be allowed to partake as long as they can still function accordingly.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Marijuana is not even close to being a PED. If anything, it has the social impact of an alcoholic beverage, but not nearly as mind bending or addicting.

 

[Prime Time]

I don't believe in regulating other peoples choices by the way I choose to live and I don't want others telling me what I can do either. Whether it's the act of buying a drink at a bar, smoking marijuana or sticking a needle full of heroin in your arm, I don't care what you are doing unless you risk harming me or another.

The problem for some addicts and for society in general is that they tend to steal and harm other people so they can get money for their fix. This is specifically pointed at heroin and other hard drugs. So it is not a victimless crime. NFL players, with all their money don't fall into that category.

Climb in the drivers seat of an automobile while under the influence, that should be against the law, public intoxication of controlled substances should be illegal, as is alcohol

 

[Riverumbbq]

The problem for some addicts and for society in general is that they tend to steal and harm other people so they can get money for their fix. This is specifically pointed at heroin and other hard drugs. So it is not a victimless crime. NFL players, with all their money don't fall into that category.

If it was legal, they can get the fix without resorting to illegal means. Like alcohol, marijuana, heroin and many prescription drugs which are used illicitly, many function quite well in society regardless of the law. For those unemployed or underemployed that may resort to robbery or violence to acquire drugs, they are going to do that anyway. One difference is that some of the taxes derived from legal sales could go towards treating habitual users. The other difference is freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We live in a country full of conservative & religious moralists, as well as liberal political correctness, but more and more Americans still refer to themselves as social libertarians, preferring to keep government out of our personal affairs. The hypocrisy is overwhelming. Our nation was founded by those wishing to escape government tyranny and religious persecution, yet the battle continues ...
The illegal use of marijuana and its parallels to prohibition nearly 100 years ago are remarkably familiar, as we hadn't learned a thing until very recently, and look at the lives ruined because of a blotted record, ... is it really worth this kind of social disorder based on a popular stupid plant ?

 

[Riverumbbq]

But you are taking a moral high ground, that's exactly what you are doing. And you might not have called marijuana a PED, but you did imply it when you mentioned walking away from cycling and baseball. Cocaine may not be classified as a PED, but it most definitely is a stimulant, and I have no problem with the NFL banning it and others, people have been known to die from overdoses of these products. Far more people have been harmed from alcohol than marijuana use, ... how do you feel about players that drink ?

 

[LesBaker]

C'mon Now we all know pain management is B.S. I understand you may be in the minority but most use it to get stoned.
Addiction affects behavior.

If you look online according to advocates weed "cures" more things than almost every other drug combined LOL. If it did one tenth of what people claim the drug companies would be the cartel not gangs.

I only voted NO because i think the NFL has the right to regulate drug use within it's confines and i don't think a league full of openly stoned players on Sundays is all that appealing in terms of the product on the field, but the penalties associated with marijuana need to be drastically reduced.

They do have the right. And I agree the penalties are too harsh but the players union wanted this too. So you have to get the NFL and NFLPA to agree. Not an easy thing to do on a divisive subject.

How is players using marijuana-- a drug with well documented anti-inflammatory properties-- any more dirty than players using Toradol after every practice, game, etc?

Toradol is used before the games mostly, and is also a pain killer as much as anti-inflammatory agent. I don't know how well documented weed is I don't think there is much science behind any of the claims. It's all seemingly personal and anecdotal.

But I don't care if people get high.

 

[CanRamFan]

Will you also stop supporting every other business in the world whose employees choose to smoke a little bud on their own personal time ? Or is this boycott just reserved for the NFL ? Why are you ok with promoting alcohol during football but not marijuana when it's pretty universally accepted that alcohol is far more harmful to individuals and society ?

I can understand those who don't like or want to smoke marijuana for themselves because they think it's bad for you, but what I will never understand is those who feel that others don't have the right to make their own choice.

 

[threesox84]

@HitStick I agree, Unfortunately it wasn't asked if we would rather have our players stoned than drunk. Frankly I do not want either. Our O.L can't block unaltered, now get them stoned and Goff is dead!

I don't think anyone is really suggesting players get stoned before games. I agree that'd be a disaster. But why not afterwards?

 

[CanRamFan]

I'm so in between about weed. I think it's great for pain use. I tore my Labrum in my shoulder a few years back and they had me on Hydrocodeine. It sorta worked but made me constipated and had to take other medicine as well. I smoked a bowl and I had virtually no pain. In fact without noticing it, I played pool and realized I was doing it with a giant robot arm.

My point is, I think it should be used for strictly pain killer. And recreational is still dangerous when driving or operating any other equipment. If it didn't make you feel different, why bother with it? So short answer, allow prescriptions but keep punishments if used otherwise.

Really ? So I sat in my house and smoked a joint and now I deserve to be punished ? Go to jail ? Affecting my ability to gain employment and support my family ? Affecting my ability to travel and vacation with my family ? Seems pretty cruel to me.

I totally support punishment if somebody gets behind the wheel and hurts somebody while they are impaired but otherwise the punitive approach is cruel and unnecessary.

 

[Loyal]

So some have argued that maryjane is good for pain relief. Is that a competitive advantage, since a players body will b more ready to train and get ready for the next game? HGH just helps in recovery so that guys can train harder and better? Hell, why not 'roids, since it's the guy's own libertarian choice

View: http://imgur.com/bHxixWZ

 

[1maGoh]

I voted no because I think it's not good for the game. You can say the players shouldn't get high before the games, but you can't really regulate if they do without putting them in a lockdown. I've known very few high performance people who smoke pot (not saying they don't exist, don't get offended), so I personally have no faith that players wouldn't be getting high before games and at half time, screwing up assignments and interfering with my entertainment value. And that's really at the heart of what they get paid to do: provide entertainment value. I understand that they're people but it's also a business. When, not really an if for me, the use of pot affects the on field performance the owners and NFLPA should draw the line. And I think that's where the situation currently stands now.

 

[Bruce2980]

So some have argued that maryjane is good for pain relief. Is that a competitive advantage, since a players body will b more ready to train and get ready for the next game? HGH just helps in recovery so that guys can train harder and better? Hell, why not 'roids, since it's the guy's own libertarian choice

View: http://imgur.com/bHxixWZ

Pain medication is already being used in the NFL. Is that a competitive advantage? What's the harm in using something less addicting and with virtually no side effects.
Not sure that the NFL does anything to change this policy until the feds change it.

 

[TexasRam]

My personal take on weed.

The government should keep its hands off regulating it.

Those that need it medically should use it and not abuse it.

Those that use it recreationally should view it as any other vice that can be abused in excess (like food, caffeine, alcohol etc).

For those that are unproductive when smoking it ( which is a large majority), stay off it and don't be a fricken loser.

 

[Loyal]

Pain medication is already being used in the NFL. Is that a competitive advantage? What's the harm in using something less addicting and with virtually no side effects.
Not sure that the NFL does anything to change this policy until the feds change it.

Maybe it is....The harm is the slippery slope we are going down, but maybe I am just naive that the sport is "clean"? I have a tipping point which no one but me may care about, but if I begin to feel the NFL is a drug enhanced sport where what I am seeing on the field isn't natural, I will find other things to do on Sundays.

 

[simonblaze]

Yes and so should the fed govt...


High right now too...

 

[Riverumbbq]

So some have argued that maryjane is good for pain relief. Is that a competitive advantage, since a players body will b more ready to train and get ready for the next game? HGH just helps in recovery so that guys can train harder and better? Hell, why not 'roids, since it's the guy's own libertarian choice

Steroids are a PED which comes with all kinds of health risks. Why are you comparing apples to oranges anyway, the issue is marijuana here and whether the NFL should remove it as a banned substance.

 

[Loyal]

Steroids are a PED which comes with all kinds of health risks. Why are you comparing apples to oranges anyway, the issue is marijuana here and whether the NFL should remove it as a banned substance.

Well, I am not sure that marijuana is harmless, as many of you. there won't be any really long term data for another decade or two, with the number of people using it now (since its legal). It's funny how tobacco is so evil in our society and we as a society are so pizzed at BIG TOBACCO for lacing nicotine into cigs for a more immediate "high" but there is absolutely no problem inhaling a burning weed and proclaiming it utterly harmless? I call BS

 

[Riverumbbq]

Well, I am not sure that marijuana is harmless, as many of you. there won't be any really long term data for another decade or two, with the number of people using it now (since its legal). It's funny how tobacco is so evil in our society and we as a society are so pizzed at BIG TOBACCO for lacing nicotine into cigs for a more immediate "high" but there is absolutely no problem inhaling a burning weed and proclaiming it utterly harmless? I call BS

Big tobacco advertised itself as a health benefit at one time, and continued lying for years, marijuana users didn't boast claims until very recently, and doctors have now documented cases where pot has helped patients. Nicotine is a known cancer causing agent, legal marijuana isn't 'laced' with anything. Pot is providing new medical uses and is prepared to provide more once the Feds get off their high horse. Read this on lung cancer & marijuana :
http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20060523/pot-smoking-not-linked-to-lung-cancer#1

Known benefits :

http://www.ibtimes.com/‘medical’-marijuana-10-health-benefits-legitimize-legalization-742456

So you want to incarcerate people and prevent them from supporting a family or going to school due to your calling BS without any factual basis to support your theory ?