cannabisnews.com: NBA's Grass is Greener NBA's Grass is Greener Posted by FoM on October 22, 1999 at 07:49:24 PT By Craig Daniels, Sun Media Newspapers Source: London Free Press The sleeping dog should have been left alone. Now the NBA and its players' union have been bitten in the hind end by an absolute mutt of an issue. It serves them both right.The issue is marijuana use in the NBA. For the first time the NBA is testing for marijuana -- and not just players, but coaches, team officials and league personnel, right up to and including commissioner David Stern.Several days ago, Mike Wise of the New York Times discovered the identity of players who had tested positive but for several good reasons the newspaper did not name names. The discovery however, and the ensuing confidentiality issue, drove a wedge between the league and the players' association leaving a degree of ill will that had not been seen since the days of last season's lockout. After a six-day break, testing resumed yesterday.Non of this is the Times' fault. Rather, it's precisely what the league and the union signed up for when they opened the issue during negotiations. What is unfathomable is why either side bothered.Everywhere else in society -- north and south of the border -- social morals finally are catching up to common sense. Marijuana use widely is accepted as something other than the depraved habit of the lunatic/criminal fringe. Politicians actually are reaping "I'm too hip" marks by admitting, or flirting with the admission, they have inhaled. See Health Minister Allan Rock -- who additionally recently announced the approval of marijuana use for medicinal purposes.Police departments, which know nuisance work when they see it, routinely look the other way on possession offences. Socialites, particularly in British Columbia, brag about the quality of their basement-grown stash.Yet the NBA, convulsed by a fit of antediluvian puritanism that would do the too-fanatical U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency proud, pushed hard for marijuana testing during the collective bargaining process last summer. The union decided it could exact concessions by taking up the debate.The NBA usually seeks to position itself on the edge of a cultural wave, but in this case it sits square on a social ethos in effect when the Toronto Huskies first took to the floor in 1946. Worse, the league was pushed there by incessant prodding from sports reporters, too many of whom seem intent on proving wrong the Republicans' battle cry that the U.S. media is often too far to the left.In exchange for agreeing to testing for marijuana, LSD, amphetamines and steroids -- in the past, players were tested only for cocaine and heroin -- and expanding the program to all players rather than just rookies, the players' association exacted some concessions.The testing program was to maintain confidentiality, encourage treatment and counseling rather than punishment. It also was expanded to include team and league personnel.The program, however well-intentioned, is full of problems as are all programs of its kind.The NBA has demonized marijuana and left alone the social drugs of alcohol and nicotine, which are at least as harmful as marijuana and possibly more so.If the rationale for the new testing program is that the league is concerned about the public damage done by having its players caught in marijuana offences, then it again misses the point. People no longer care if someone is booked on a marijuana charge and particularly not the NBA's baby-boomer audience. A pot offence reflects more on the pernicious, outdated nature of the laws and rules governing marijuana, not to mention the enforcement agencies, than it does on the individual. See Ross Rebagliati."(Testing) affects (only) the people who are worried about drug testing," said Vancouver Grizzlies forward Cherokee Parks, who grew up in the hippie neighbourhood of Huntington Beach, Calif.Worse, the issue has trampled all over people whose rights should not have become a bargaining chip."I don't know how we got lumped in there," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy was quoted in the Times as saying. "I don't think it's necessary. I think it's an infringement of people's rights. It's not about hiding things. It's about civil liberties slowly disappearing."What it is about is common sense disappearing. The league should not have pushed for marijuana testing. And the union shouldn't have taken up the discussion.But they did. And their inevitable reward has arrived: Controversy. Friday, October 22, 1999 Copyright (c) 1999 The London Free Pressa division of Sun Media Corporation. Related Articles:NBA Resumes Drug Testing After Six-Day Hiatus - 10/20/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3354.shtmlReport: NBA Suspends Drug Testing - 10/20/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3347.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on October 24, 1999 at 06:36:50 PT Insanity respects no national borders... What amazes me is that the Canadians should sound so surprised at the antics of the groups involved in pushing for testing. Did they think a national border would protect them from America's Drug-Waritis? What's even more surprising is their attitude: "Worse, the issue has trampled all over people whose rights should not have become a bargaining chip." (Whose rights should EVER be a bargaining chip?! Couldn't you see this coming? The Drug War respects *no* rights, whatsoever.)"I don't know how we got lumped in here," Knicks coach Jeff van Grundy was quoted in the Times as saying. "I don't think it's necessary. I think it is an infringement of people's rights. It's not about hiding things. It's about civil liberties slowly disappearing." (Where have you been for the last 20 years, coach? In a beer induced coma? Everybody has had their rights infringed by this madness, but you just now tumble to it because it has well and truly bit your bum?)The entire anti-drug crusade of America, like a surface burst nuke, has a lot of fallout. That fallout can take many directions and many forms; this is just one of them. And, unless you are part of the de facto Ruling Class and can get a bye, (such as our esteemed Prez, whose urine test results have never been made public, probably because he never *had* one, while hundreds of thousands of civil servants must hope and pray the lab doesn't screw up their test results)you are forced to 'stand and deliver'. And now, those who have been protected from the same treatment received by mere mortals must now endure the indignity.The question is, what will you do about, guys? With your bully puplit, you can do much more than the average Joe to publicize the futility - not to mention the degradation - of this issue. What will you do? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: