The Facts:
It would be too late to help Josh Gordon, Will Hill or anyone else in danger of lengthy suspensions for violations of current rules. But when and if the NFL's new drug policy is finalized and announced, it will include changes specific to marijuana and other drugs of abuse. A source told ESPN.com on Tuesday that the renegotiation of the drug policy, which has been going on since 2011 and includes testing for HGH, also will significantly increase the threshold for a positive marijuana test and reduce the punishments for violations involving that drug.
Reported by ESPN.com
Fantasy Football Diehards Line:
The NFLPA has expressed to the league an interest in studying the medical research that has led to the legalization of marijuana in many states for medicinal use, but it believes changes were needed in the meantime regardless. According to ESPN.com's Dan Graziano, what's holding up the implementation and announcement of changes to the league's drug policy is a continued standoff over arbitration of discipline. In cases of non-analytical positives (cases in which a player is found in violation of the drug policy by some method other than a failed test) or in cases of violations of law (hypothetically, a player got caught trying to smuggle prescription drugs across the Canadian border), the NFLPA has asked that discipline appeals be heard by an independent arbitrator. The NFL has continued to insist that the commissioner have final say over discipline matters. ... The dispute over arbitration, it turns out, is holding up more than just HGH testing. There are widespread changes to the NFL's drug policy that these two sides have negotiated and are waiting to implement once they can reach agreement on the administration of discipline. ... Stay tuned.
Profile
Home
