NHLPA/NHL discussion on marijuana use

[LadyStanley]

Inside the discussions on marijuana use in the NHL

From the Athletic (paywall)

With nine US states (and WDC) that have legalized marijuana use, and (Oct 1) legalization in Canada, the union and league are now considering what that means for players.

Fehr told reporters at the event that it was possible that the NHL and NHLPA could come to an informal understanding about marijuana usage among players in the league in the future.
...
“Our policy relating to marijuana remains unchanged despite recent changes to the law in some jurisdictions. Any change in policy would necessitate discussion and agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic this week via email.

And what happens when traveling between jurisdiction that allows to doesn't allow?


(I doubt WADA will change their stance)

Click to read more...

 

[LadyStanley]

Article also has tangent on opioid usage and heroin use.

 

[Dogewow]

Personally still on the fence in terms of what should be sanctioned for professional athletes as far as marijuana use is concerned.

Despite what some people think, not all marijuana strains make you feel relaxed, slow, tired, etc. Some strains out there can help you focus, process things differently (or think on a higher level), and can even give you energy. I could definitely see an athlete using marijuana to their advantage if they reacted favorably to a sativa (energizing) type strain. Definitely agree that I don't see WADA budging on this one.

 

[dlocal]

Don't think smoking weed while playing is a good idea but during the off season, I have no issues with it.

 

[cbcwpg]

Retired NHL Pro Says Half of All Hockey Players Use Cannabis - Culture | MERRY JANE

In a new interview with Canadian outlet Sportsnet, former Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Riley Cote details how prevalent cannabis use is in the NHL, and yet how much work still needs to be done before the hyper-violent league actually acknowledges weed as a solution, instead of a minor problem to be swept under the rug.

“Good people break bad laws, I guess,” Cote told Sportsnet. “At least half of those guys [I competed with and against] consumed, and a fraction of those guys consumed regularly. Like, every day…. And that number is probably higher.”

***

If this is true, the players are already using during the season and nothing the league does by introducing new "rules" or having an official policy is going to change anything.

 

[LadyStanley]

Marijuana use in the NHL: The times they are a changin' – Sportsnet.ca

It is now legal to use in Canada. Gare Joyce looks at use in hockey.

 

[BattleBorn]

While not fully endorsed by the league, isn't it pretty much allowed through the league's lack of desire to test for it in random drug testing? Does that need to change for any reason other than to make unofficial sanctioning of the use official?

Listening to as many hockey podcasts as I do, it's fairly apparent many/most players use/have used marijuana regularly. It's not a secret, or it's the worst kept secret in sports.

 

[GuelphStormer]

i dunno man, i heard hockey is a gateway sport to harder sports like rugby or football and we all know how bad they are, right?

meh, they can drink booze and caffeine, let them puff. non-issue as far as im concerned.

 

[cutchemist42]

I'm just amazed one of the more progressive leagues in the NBA has such a harsh take on marijuana. I've heard it said on TSN its almost as bad as the NFL.

MLB is the most relaxed about it.

 

[cupface52]

Personally still on the fence in terms of what should be sanctioned for professional athletes as far as marijuana use is concerned.

Despite what some people think, not all marijuana strains make you feel relaxed, slow, tired, etc. Some strains out there can help you focus, process things differently (or think on a higher level), and can even give you energy. I could definitely see an athlete using marijuana to their advantage if they reacted favorably to a sativa (energizing) type strain. Definitely agree that I don't see WADA budging on this one.

Drinking alcohol is going to get you more energized and focused a lot better than pot ever will, doesnt matter what strain. Unless of course you're a chronic pothead and depend on it to feel normal.



Pot is much, much, less harmful to a fully developed human than alcohol, and much less likely be used as a PED. Yet there's no bans on booze, so why would cannabis be outlawed?

 

[offkilter]

The leagues current stance right now is probably the best course of action.

Don't test for it, don't address it, and don't acknowledge it.

It's not a good look for a professional sports league to condone something that is still illegal in many areas they have teams in regardless of what anyone may personally feel about weed use.

 

[Neutrinos]

The leagues current stance right now is probably the best course of action.

Don't test for it, don't address it, and don't acknowledge it.

It's not a good look for a professional sports league to condone something that is still illegal in many areas they have teams in regardless of what anyone may personally feel about weed use.

I disagree

What's not a good look for a professional sports league is tailoring their legislation to coddle the minority, and thus, punishing their players in the process

If they want to attract younger viewers, it would behoove these leagues to stop acting like uptight parents

What could be a better look than saying "it's a personal choice, and we support our players' right to choose what's best for them"?

 

[LadyStanley]

Don't test for it, don't address it, and don't acknowledge it.

Ah, but they do test for "recreational drugs". (By product of other testing) But don't really pursue unless "significant abuse". (IOW getting into the range of addiction, abuse and need to be enrolled in NHL/NHLPA program.)

Now, WADA has a much stricter stance, so those who want to play in Olympics have other concerns.

 

[Killion]

i dunno man, i heard hockey is a gateway sport to harder sports like rugby or football and we all know how bad they are, right?

meh, they can drink booze and caffeine, let them puff. non-issue as far as im concerned.

Farcical is what this is. Chewing tobacco's a bigger problem than weed. What a joke.

 

[LadyStanley]

Glenn Healy says NHL Alumni Association 'all-in' on cannabis research - Sportsnet.ca

Alumni association pushing for research

 

[LadyStanley]

From pucks to pot: Could NHL be a leader in marijuana policy?

The NHL tests for cannabis but doesn’t apply penalties for positive results. When a significant amount is detected, players are referred to a behavioral health program, rather than suspended or fined. Meanwhile, multiple infractions can lead to suspensions in the NFL and NBA and fines in Major League Baseball.

“We still consider marijuana a drug of abuse,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “And our program allows for intervention in appropriate cases.”

NHL Players' Association spokesperson Andrew Wolfe said by email, “We are going to respectfully decline comment.”

But will they take the lead?

 

[Cellee]

Drink your face off and pop pills though.

This post brought to you by Budweiser and some pharma company.

 

[Dogewow]

Drinking alcohol is going to get you more energized and focused a lot better than pot ever will, doesnt matter what strain. Unless of course you're a chronic pothead and depend on it to feel normal.



Pot is much, much, less harmful to a fully developed human than alcohol, and much less likely be used as a PED. Yet there's no bans on booze, so why would cannabis be outlawed?

Alcohol absolutely destroys your reaction speed, especially overtime when you're continuously drinking. It certainly gives you energy, but it's fairly reckless, unsustainable energy. It can also cause serious dehydration, which is a bad combination with a professional athlete who's likely to be sweating bullets for 60 minutes. It's not banned by WADA (aside from motor vehicle sports and archery for obvious reasons), but I think you'd find yourself hard pressed finding anyone in professional sports that publicly condones alcohol use during or right before an actual sporting event.

I'm definitely not against pot legalization, and am 100% on board with it being held to the same standard as alcohol and tobacco recreationally. I'm also 100% on board with retired/injured athletes using the plant to cope with whatever is giving them hardship in their life. What I'm not 100% on board with is it becoming sanctioned for athletes to use to potentially enhance their on field/court/ice game.

While marijuana is a much safer drug than alcohol, the actual effects that it provides its users (both positive and negative) is in a totally different ball park. A drug like alcohol, while legal, is seen mostly as a detriment to professional athletes while in game. Marijuana use you could argue otherwise with certain strains.

 

[Hasekroll]

I disagree

What's not a good look for a professional sports league is tailoring their legislation to coddle the minority, and thus, punishing their players in the process

If they want to attract younger viewers, it would behoove these leagues to stop acting like uptight parents

What could be a better look than saying "it's a personal choice, and we support our players' right to choose what's best for them"?

This is the idealistic stance which I'm all for, though I disagree with the premise that the drug policy could drive or influence in hockey fandom for anyone.. I agree with OP's comment as the practical and political navigation through the current; perhaps in the redder states there are some legal and political relationship factors that would be negatively impact the league's ability to operate/function. I'm sure in the not-so-long-term weed will be completely shed of it's ridiculous controversial-ness.

I'm just amazed one of the more progressive leagues in the NBA has such a harsh take on marijuana. I've heard it said on TSN its almost as bad as the NFL.

MLB is the most relaxed about it.

This is extremely surprising to me if true. One would think baseball would be most like an old, white Congress.

While marijuana is a much safer drug than alcohol, the actual effects that it provides its users (both positive and negative) is in a totally different ball park. A drug like alcohol, while legal, is seen mostly as a detriment to professional athletes while in game. Marijuana use you could argue otherwise with certain strains.

In what way would you argue marijuana would be helpful for hockey performance enhancement? With regard to some finesse aspect of the game? Wouldn't any potential benefit be heavily offset by slow reaction time and decreased aggression? (and if smoked regularly/pre-game, decrease in endurace/lung capacity..)

On the issue of gaining an edge in terms of performance enhancement, discussion on the Ammonia inhalants (smelling salts) would be more relevant imo. But of course, they don't want to take away from the energy/intensity that it provides.