The Athletic Department doesn’t have a drug policy and not implementing one will have future consequences for all athletes, coaches and those involved.
Not having a policy that forbids drugs will give all future athletes the opportunity to take advantage of the lenient rules, and will give not only the campus, but the entire athletic administration a bad reputation.
Even though coaches are responsible for disciplining their players, the director should also take disciplinary action against anyone caught in the act for the safety of other student athletes.
Having a drug policy is expensive, but it will be a huge aid as it will be beneficial for everyone in the department.
According to Inside Higher Ed., in 2012, the National Collegiate Athletic Association started drug testing athletes for championship competitions. The colleges are administrating random drug tests for any banned substance, including marijuana and methamphetamine. Some companies like Quick Fix, and more brands here, offer synthetic urine, often used for passing such drugs tests, making one question the effectiveness of the tests for sports competitions. It’s the same with workplaces. More and more people are turning to sites like www.alhhs.org once they become aware that they are going to have to take a drug test.
There are many circumstances that might require drug testing. To find out more, go to Lpath.com.
In 1990, the NCAA started doing random tests at least once a year to all students in Division I and Division II institutions. The testing covers 13,500 samples a year.
Positive test results have increased from 28 in the 2008-09 school year to 71 in 2009-10.
Administering tests to athletes will be helpful, because it catches those who are using prohibited substances, and it will prevent a number of positive test results.
A survey done by the NCAA in 2009 reported that institutions across all three divisions found that 92 to 96 percent of programs actually drug test.
Drug policies vary widely, but penalties include counseling and suspension from all
competitions or team activities. Placing these restrictions will make the athletes think before taking or injecting themselves with any substance.
An article published by ESPN The Magazine in the same year reported that, 40 to 60 percent of the football players who were on the University of Oregon roster were smoking marijuana. They would even smoke after games, saying it was a team experience. The Princeton Review and the High Times both ranked the school among the most pot-friendly institutions.
Former Oregon student Reuben Droughns said, “Long dreads. Girls with hairy armpits. Where there’s hippies there’s weed.”
Enforcing it will also reduce any disciplinary issues that exist or might come about in the future. Athletes are old enough to make smart decisions, however, most of them decide instead to make the wrong ones.
Other schools in the Los Angeles Community College District don’t have an athletic drug policy, but do have policies against smoking on campus. If the other campuses would have one, then Pierce would also have one.
