Pubdate: Mon, 09 Aug 2004 Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR) Copyright: 2004 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Contact: http://www.ardemgaz.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25 Note: Compiled by Scott Loftis Note: Item excepted from longer "Second Thoughts" column Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/NFL Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Ricky+Williams Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Quincy+Carter SMOKESCREEN Drug use in the NFL has been a hot topic lately, fueled by the retirement of Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams and the release of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter. Dan LeBatard of the Miami Herald says the public doesn't know the true story about drugs and pro football. "Marijuana use is a lot more prevalent in football than anyone knows," LeBatard wrote. "The NFL's testing policy is a laughable scam meant to give the illusion of policing to a Puritanical public that wishes to believe what it's seeing on Sundays is pure. Nate Newton spent 14 years in the league without us hearing a word about possible marijuana use. You think his first dalliance with it was in retirement, when police found 213 pounds of it in his van?" - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake