[News] NHL acknowledges more players are using cocaine - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

sureLoss · 10-05-2015, 02:02 PM

http://www.tsn.ca/on-eve-of-season-n...caine-1.372075

Quote:

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.
"The number of [cocaine] positives are more than they were in previous years and they're going up," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN in an interview. "I wouldn't say it's a crisis in any sense. What I'd say is drugs like cocaine are cyclical and you've hit a cycle where it's an 'in' drug again.
"I'd be shocked if we're talking about a couple dozen guys. I don't want to be naïve here … but if we're talking more than 20 guys I'd be shocked. Because we don't test in a comprehensive way, I can't say."

Locke · 10-05-2015, 02:06 PM

As far as drugs go though I'd imagine Cocaine would classify as 'performance enhancing' in a contact sport.

Their drug testing doesnt identify cocaine? What the hell kind of drugs are they testing for?

N-E-B · 10-05-2015, 02:07 PM

Wait, cocaine wasn't banned before? Shouldn't all illegal substances be on their list of banned substances?

Scornfire · 10-05-2015, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

As far as drugs go though I'd imagine Cocaine would classify as 'performance enhancing' in a contact sport.

Their drug testing doesnt identify cocaine? What the hell kind of drugs are they testing for?

Cough Syrup

A Shot Wide · 10-05-2015, 02:08 PM

I hate when people say "They can't say for sure" or something like that immediately after giving a pretty specific estimate. Which is it? Because if you have no way of knowing why even bother to give a number?

sureLoss · 10-05-2015, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

As far as drugs go though I'd imagine Cocaine would classify as 'performance enhancing' in a contact sport.

Their drug testing doesnt identify cocaine? What the hell kind of drugs are they testing for?

Their testing identifies cocaine, but per their agreement with the NHLPA cocaine positives are supposed to remain confidential and doctors only contact the player if the level is at a specific level IIRC.

Strange Brew · 10-05-2015, 02:15 PM

Why in the world would he throw out a guess like that?

And I am a little confused. He knows the number of cocaine positives are going up, but has no numbers other than that? If you know the number is higher, don't you have to know what the number is before and after?

Huntingwhale · 10-05-2015, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

As far as drugs go though I'd imagine Cocaine would classify as 'performance enhancing' in a contact sport.

Their drug testing doesnt identify cocaine? What the hell kind of drugs are they testing for?

Cocaine is pretty hard to test positive for. Unlike reefer and (I'm assuming) other performance enhancers, it leaves your body after 3-4 days. Unless you have random testing done within that time frame, good luck catching anybody on it.

I have a buddy who works out on the rigs up in Fort Mac and its commonly known that coke/crack are easily the drug of choice when those guys come back after a long work stint. Party hard for a week straight, avoid weed, and stay clean for 4-5 days before you head back. If you're chosen for your random drug test, they will find nothing since it's all gone.

So unless a player like Stoll or Malone is busted by the cops and tested that same day, I honestly don't see a single player getting caught with it in their system any time soon.

Crumpy-Gunt · 10-05-2015, 02:22 PM

Exactly as hunting whale says cocaine leaves your body quickly. So they have caught people who tested positive that's the tip of the iceberg considering how soon it leaves the body. I think it is a performance enhancer for hockey although I've never done cocaine from what I hear it would help a hockey player. This is pretty shocking, I think the NHL has adopted a very laissez fair attitude towards this. If josh ho sang tested positive for marijuana everyone would be up in arms. Funny how things work

Vinny01 · 10-05-2015, 03:05 PM

Rich people doing cocaine!?!?! That's unheard of

Locke · 10-05-2015, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Rich people doing cocaine!?!?! That's unheard of

I think more people were incredulous with the:

"We know people maybe might be but totally are using it, we have no idea how many but if it was more than 20 I'd be shocked! Shocked I tell you! Also we dont test for it so theres also that."

DJones · 10-05-2015, 03:11 PM

Can't imagine the union would allow it to be added to the banned substances list.

Just like weed and cocaine will never be banned in the NBA.

Coach · 10-05-2015, 03:23 PM

I'd be shocked if the number was under 100 to be honest.

c.t.ner · 10-05-2015, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattyC

I'd be shocked if the number was under 100 to be honest.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/crack-...know-1.2415886

Quote:

Just over one per cent of Canadians 15 years and older used crack or cocaine in 2012, according to Health Canada's Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey

Anything over 100 players would work out to about a 15% of hockey players (650 players in the league). While cocaine might be a seem like a popular drug for a bunch of rich kids, I doubt the NHL would have rates that high. That would be about 4 players per team doing coke.

Jets4Life · 10-06-2015, 06:15 AM

I would be shocked if less than 120 NHL players have not tried cocaine in the last year. Just do the math:

23 players/team x 30 teams = 690 players.

I'm basing my guess on the prevalence of cocaine use is anywhere from 15-20% in the NHL. The players that have substance abuse problems with the drug would likely be around 15-20.

Jets4Life · 10-06-2015, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/crack-...know-1.2415886

Anything over 100 players would work out to about a 15% of hockey players (650 players in the league). While cocaine might be a seem like a popular drug for a bunch of rich kids, I doubt the NHL would have rates that high. That would be about 4 players per team doing coke.

I disagree.

If you have worked in oilsands, the prevalence of people doing hard drugs (cocaine.etc) is exponentially higher than 1%. My guess would be 10%. Not entirely sure since I don't partake in cocaine use. However, considering that you are talking about young men who are in their 20s, many do not have families, living in hotels going from city to city for 8 months, making millions, and under intense media scrutiny for their play, I think it would be safe to assume the incidence of cocaine use in all four professional sport is very high, in relation to the general population.

You just have to look at history. There are tons of ex-players who were addicted, and even died due to drug use. For every player that has a serious problem with cocaine, my guess is there are 10 players using it recreationaly.

DownhillGoat · 10-06-2015, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/crack-...know-1.2415886

And how exactly is that number acquired? Just a random questionnaire?

"Hi, I'm Jimmy with Health Canada's Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey. Do you do coke?"

"No"

"Oh okay thank you for your time"

I'm sure it's incredibly accurate. Anecdotally speaking, I'd peg the number of people I know who have done coke in the last year at 10-20%. And I don't exactly hang out in circles of rampant drug use.

Passe La Puck · 10-06-2015, 07:24 AM

Problem with that statistic is it includes everyone 15-dead. If you were to look at 20-35 most of that 1% would be here and obviously result in a higher percentage. If you were to further focus on men 20-35 in high stress environments and moderate to high pay that number goes through the roof!

Coach · 10-06-2015, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/crack-...know-1.2415886

Anything over 100 players would work out to about a 15% of hockey players (650 players in the league). While cocaine might be a seem like a popular drug for a bunch of rich kids, I doubt the NHL would have rates that high. That would be about 4 players per team doing coke.

4 people on every team of multi-millionaires between the ages of 18 and 35?

You're right, that number might be off. It's probably too low.

I'm not thinking guys that are doing lines before games (I doubt there's more than a handful of people like that), I mean people that would do coke if they were partying.

Crumpy-Gunt · 10-06-2015, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

And how exactly is that number acquired? Just a random questionnaire?

"Hi, I'm Jimmy with Health Canada's Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey. Do you do coke?"

"No"

"Oh okay thank you for your time"

I'm sure it's incredibly accurate. Anecdotally speaking, I'd peg the number of people I know who have done coke in the last year at 10-20%. And I don't exactly hang out in circles of rampant drug use.

I've actually had a call like that. Hahahahahaha