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On eve of season, NHL acknowledges more players using cocaine


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http://www.tsn.ca/on-eve-of-season-nhl-acknowledges-more-players-using-cocaine-1.372075

 

The National Hockey League, responding to what it says is a possible increased use of cocaine among its players, has kick-started talks with the NHL Players Association to add the drug and others like it to the list of banned substances for which the league regularly monitors.

 

 

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Did I read correcy that the league has to work with the PA to make coke a banned substance? It isn't already???

 

This paragraph implies it is tested for.

 

 

 

One-third of the 2,400 player urine samples collected each year are screened more closely for drugs of abuse, such as cocaine. Those more comprehensive tests have shown cocaine use by NHL players is on the rise. Drugs, Daly said, will be a focus this season as the NHL tries to educate its players on the dangers of celebrity life.

 

I think they want to increase it from a 1/3 being tested for it to all samples collected.

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Daly thinks only 20 players in the NHL use recreational cocaine .  The NHL seems like a very tone deaf organization and very naive.

 

Also, it sounds like they want to test all players and if the coke (or other drug) use is high enough, the doctors would approach the players to discuss the issue.  So you can do some coke.  That's ok.  Its the PR-busting addicts the NHL wants to clean up.

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Someone (cant recall who but I think it was a journalist who did a story on this) was on 1290.  I just caught part of it but he said every single team has "1...2...or 10 guys who partake". 

 

Should be a no-brainer to make illegal drugs against the rules.  Not to mention I assume cocaine could be considered a performance enhancer.  '

 

Wasnt OV accused of being on something?

 

Test everyone.  Fine/suspend those that are caught.  Anyone with illegal substances in their system are automatically entered into the NHL's substance abuse program for referral to counseling/rehab and subsequent testing to ensure they are clean.  Thats how it should be done.
 

Or they could wait until someone dies.  Either or.

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Should be a no-brainer to make illegal drugs against the rules.  Not to mention I assume cocaine could be considered a performance enhancer.  '

 

Test everyone.  Fine/suspend those that are caught.  Anyone with illegal substances in their system are automatically entered into the NHL's substance abuse program for referral to counseling/rehab and subsequent testing to ensure they are clean.  Thats how it should be done.

 

Or they could wait until someone dies.  Either or.

Should all workplaces have mandatory testing for illegal drugs? Why just professional athletes?  If you died from a heroin overdose, would it be your employers fault for not testing you?

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Should be a no-brainer to make illegal drugs against the rules.  Not to mention I assume cocaine could be considered a performance enhancer.  '

 

Test everyone.  Fine/suspend those that are caught.  Anyone with illegal substances in their system are automatically entered into the NHL's substance abuse program for referral to counseling/rehab and subsequent testing to ensure they are clean.  Thats how it should be done.

 

Or they could wait until someone dies.  Either or.

Should all workplaces have mandatory testing for illegal drugs? Why just professional athletes?  If you died from a heroin overdose, would it be your employers fault for not testing you?

 

I work in a union environment so if the company wanted drug testing and the union allowed it, sure.  But ofcourse I would not like that.

 

However, sports is different.  The players are public figures.  From the PA side of things, ofcourse you want to do your coke and have no one find out.  From the NHL perspective, they are a brand that has 700+ public figures representing them.  They need to protect that.  They already have means within the CBA to take action against players that bring disrepute to the brand.  And they have means within the substance abuse program.'

 

So the fact they can act on a player that is grossly impacted by his addiction or behavior really, in my mind, precludes the idea that they shouldnt have the right to test and act on those results.

 

WWE is a non-competitive (in the general sense) company and they test for illegal drugs.

 

UFC tests for illegal drugs.

 

The NFL test, but only in the off-season.  They test for coke, pot, Opiates etc.

 

The NHL has often taken the burried head approach to things.  They should come out and be the front runners in this.  Not only to protect the game from being sullied by drug busts/deaths (Boogaard died from using Opiates with booze) and to protect the players from themselves.

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