The NFL suspended Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon for an entire year after he ‘failed’ a drug test, testing positive for marijuana. I say ‘failed’ because he took two tests. The first one he barely passed, and the second one he barely failed. The NFL has a very low threshold for a positive marijuana test compared to other sports. The NFL considers anything over 15 nanograms per milliliter to be a fail. Josh Gordon’s first test was 13.63 ng/ml, and his second was 16 ng/ml.
Josh Gordon appealed his suspension with the NFL, and rightfully so. Why should someone be suspended at all for having 1 ng/ml more than the threshold, especially for an entire year? To put the test result into perspective, the Olympics allow up to 150 ng/ml – ten times what the NFL allows. To say that the NFL has reefer madness is a huge understatement. Per NFL.Com:
“Appeals officer Harold Henderson has upheld the suspension for the 2014 NFL season of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The suspension is effective immediately,” the league said Wednesday in a statement.
Josh Gordon’s suspension is insane, especially when compared to the suspension of two games that Ray Rice got for assaulting his then fiance to the point that she was knocked unconscious. As many Josh Gordon fans and marijuana supporters pointed out, Ray Rice would have to knock out 7 more women to get the same suspension as Josh Gordon. Even more if you include preseason and playoff games. I don’t say this to be mean or insensitive, I say it to highlight the insanity that is the NFL’s marijuana policy. Shame on the NFL.
