Pill-popping, painkiller-pushing, NFL out-of-step on pot
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By DERON SNYDER (as published in The Washington Times)
The NFL has never demonstrated an honest-to-goodness concern about the safety and well-being of its laborers. It hid the danger of concussions for years, while also pumping buckets of painkillers into the workforce. The only thing that matters is the players’ availability to suit up – as often as possible for as long as they’re effective.
But commissioner Roger Goodell & Co. can’t say that. They have to give the impression that the NFL is family. The concerned parents sit in offices, fretting over the rambunctious youngsters running around the field. And like all good parents know, rules are one-way only: “Do as we say, not as we do.”
Washington’s star left tackle, Trent Williams, was suspended for marijuana at the end of the 2011 season. He was suspended again on Tuesday, reportedly for missing a drug test. He’ll miss the next four games during a crucial stretch against Minnesota, Green Bay, Dallas and Arizona.
I don’t know if Williams currently uses marijuana, which remains banned by the NFL. But for argument’s sake, let’s say he does use it, indulging consistently to play through painful injuries. Let’s say his reputation for toughness and dependability is a direct result of consuming cannabis.
You know how the league responds? “Just say no … and take this, instead.”
The NFL doesn’t have a problem with drug use; the problem is players who use drugs that the league doesn’t approve and peddle.
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