It appears the questions surrounding the levels of marijuana in suspended Cleveland Browns reciever Josh Gordon’s system are helping to spur the NFLPA to investigate just how much THC should validate a suspension; and what can be considered “trace” levels.
According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, sources are saying that the NFLPA would like to have the THC level needed for a positive test result to be raised from it’s current level of 15 nanograms per milliliter (Gordon’s positive test registered a 16 ng/ml).
Sources say the NFL Players Association would like to have the NFL’s THC threshold raised. The league office surely noted WADA’s changing its level, realizes Major League Baseball’s threshold is 50 ng/ml and understands many of the stigmas surrounding marijuana have lessened in recent years. A league source said the NFL is willing to discuss raising the levels, but an agreement on that issue hasn’t been reached. The source also said it wasn’t until very recently that the NFLPA formally proposed raising the levels.
While it may be too late to save Gordon from this year’s hefty suspension, the urgency for change that his case is causing is a good thing for others who could find themselves in his position.
Of course it’s easy to just throw the statement out there: JUST DON’T DO WEED, as many people have been screaming from the rooftops; however the fact is it just isn’t that simple. Other leagues and organizations have raised their test levels for this very purpose, and it’s definetly time the option of change was brought to the table.