Food for thought: How did Hernandez pass drug testing?

[Rock Strongo]

How Did Marijuana Chain Smoker Aaron Hernandez Pass NFL Drug Testing? CBS Boston

How Did Marijuana Chain Smoker Aaron Hernandez Pass NFL Drug Testing?
Toucher & RichApril 2, 2015 8:58 AM
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Aaron Hernandez. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

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BOSTON (CBS) - One revelation from the Aaron Hernandez trial is that the former Patriots tight end was an avid marijuana user, described by prosecution witness Alexander Bradley as a “chain smoker” of the drug.

With that being said, how did Aaron Hernandez never fail a drug test in the NFL?

The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tells 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich it’s actually pretty easy to skirt the league’s drug policy.

“The NFL does ban marijuana, but they almost don’t. Everyone in the league smokes it all the time. As long as you’re not in the drug program, and as long as you don’t fail an initial test, you can pretty much smoke it as much as you want,” Volin said.

“I did a lot of research yesterday because I thought like you guys. How can Aaron Hernandez smoke that much weed, play in the NFL and never miss a game? For recreational drugs you only get tested once a year between April and August, and realistically most of those tests happen during training camp. Once you pass that test, you’re good for the next eight months.

“I think every year Aaron Hernandez pretty much just stayed clean for that one time period when he was going to be tested, and then he could smoke until his heart’s content. It’s pretty amazing a guy who smokes that much never failed a drug test or got himself into the drug program.”

The guys also discussed Rolando McLain, Robert Kraft’s testimony, Chandler Jones’ hip injury and more.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

And his home state allowed it legally.

This is going to get sticky down the road with Washington and Colorado now legalizing it too.

 

[TDs3nOut]

And his home state allowed it legally.

This is going to get sticky down the road with Washington and Colorado now legalizing it too.

I don't think that those laws affect whether an employer has the right to not allow its employees to smoke.

I think this could lead the league to push for hair testing instead of urine testing, however. Might be a tough sell to the NFLPA, though.

 

[beardown07]

I don't think that those laws affect whether an employer has the right to not allow its employees to smoke.

I think this could lead the league to push for hair testing instead of urine testing, however. Might be a tough sell to the NFLPA, though.

never happen

 

[night]

I don't think that those laws affect whether an employer has the right to not allow its employees to smoke.

I think this could lead the league to push for hair testing instead of urine testing, however. Might be a tough sell to the NFLPA, though.

That's a fact. There was a guy on 60 Minutes or 20/20 back in January who was fired from his job in Colorado because he wasn't aware of that fact.

Follicle testing doesn't really make sense. A person could have been clean for a year and still fail that test. If marijuana use is that rampant in the league then we would see a mass exodus of players. That's not good for business.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I don't think that those laws affect whether an employer has the right to not allow its employees to smoke.

I think this could lead the league to push for hair testing instead of urine testing, however. Might be a tough sell to the NFLPA, though.

Yet if you live in one of those states, you could conceivably pick it up passively due to your acquaintences.

 

[SJ76]

I got no clue..

 

[broncosmitty]

Sure-Jell

 

[TDs3nOut]

never happen

Perhaps you are right. As I mentioned above, hard to imagine the players ever agreeing to that. This story, though, seems to undermine the credibility of the league's pot tests. Not sure how big a deal that might become.

 

[beardown07]

The NFL probably loves all the pot smoking players.


Keep everyone's attention away from the blatant roid use.

 

[TDs3nOut]

That's a fact. There was a guy on 60 Minutes or 20/20 back in January who was fired from his job in Colorado because he wasn't aware of that fact.

Follicle testing doesn't really make sense. A person could have been clean for a year and still fail that test. If marijuana use is that rampant in the league then we would see a mass exodus of players. That's not good for business.

I don't know much about hair testing, but my understanding is that the lengths of the hairs analyzed determine how far back in time a banned substance can be detected.

 

[cdumler7]

Yeah it amazes me how many people keep saying that this is going to get tricky if the federal government makes it legal. Alcohol is legal but most jobs don't let you drink on the job and if you show up to work with alcohol in your system many jobs will fire you. Just because something is legal doesn't mean that a business has to actually abide by that to allow employees to do it. I mean can you imagine somebody operating a piece of heavy machinery high as a kite. Or tying it back to football say your OL is as high as can be and is slow to react to the ball being snapped letting a DL player have a free pass to hit your quarterback as hard as he wants. You really think the NFL wants that happening?

 

[TDs3nOut]

Yeah it amazes me how many people keep saying that this is going to get tricky if the federal government makes it legal. Alcohol is legal but most jobs don't let you drink on the job and if you show up to work with alcohol in your system many jobs will fire you. Just because something is legal doesn't mean that a business has to actually abide by that to allow employees to do it. I mean can you imagine somebody operating a piece of heavy machinery high as a kite. Or tying it back to football say your OL is as high as can be and is slow to react to the ball being snapped letting a DL player have a free pass to hit your quarterback as hard as he wants. You really think the NFL wants that happening?

Yep, I remember Matt Lepsis.

 

[NEhomer]

Yeah it amazes me how many people keep saying that this is going to get tricky if the federal government makes it legal. Alcohol is legal but most jobs don't let you drink on the job and if you show up to work with alcohol in your system many jobs will fire you. Just because something is legal doesn't mean that a business has to actually abide by that to allow employees to do it. I mean can you imagine somebody operating a piece of heavy machinery high as a kite. Or tying it back to football say your OL is as high as can be and is slow to react to the ball being snapped letting a DL player have a free pass to hit your quarterback as hard as he wants. You really think the NFL wants that happening?

Except that Marijuana tests don't determine if you're high.

...and you've misspoken in bold. A small trace of alcohol from a day previous will not get someone fired.

 

[cdumler7]

Except that Marijuana tests don't determine if you're high.

...and you've misspoken in bold. A small trace of alcohol from a day previous will not get someone fired.

Ummmm yeah actually it can. I drove school bus throughout my college days and if we showed up even with under the legal limit it was a fireable offense. My wife is a mental health counselor and she can only drink on the weekends as they are dead serious of if there is any alcohol in the system while working you will be fired on the spot.

And you are right they don't determine if you are high but my guess is an employer would be able to tell if an employee showed up high. Now I know some can actually smoke and just be completely normal so maybe not all of them and maybe they will be just high all the time so that is all the employer knows is them high but my guess is for the most part they will be able to figure it out. Now some of that though does depend on the test as blood tests would at least know if they had used in the last 24 hours. Again they might not still be high but it would show at least use in the near past.

 

[night]

I don't know much about hair testing, but my understanding is that the lengths of the hairs analyzed determine how far back in time a banned substance can be detected.

They are likely to take body hair from a leg or arm rather than the hair on one's head because that is less likely to be cut.

 

[Rock Strongo]

That's a fact. There was a guy on 60 Minutes or 20/20 back in January who was fired from his job in Colorado because he wasn't aware of that fact.

Follicle testing doesn't really make sense. A person could have been clean for a year and still fail that test. If marijuana use is that rampant in the league then we would see a mass exodus of players. That's not good for business.

mass is an employment at will state.

meaning, you can be let go for no particular reason at any given time...its how many states circumvent the new marijuana laws.

 

[night]

mass is an employment at will state.

meaning, you can be let go for no particular reason at any given time...its how many states circumvent the new marijuana laws.

Employers typically have their drug policy in their employment contract. Breaking that policy is grounds for termination even if recreational use is legal in that respective state.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Employers typically have their drug policy in their employment contract. Breaking that policy is grounds for termination even if recreational use is legal in that respective state.

in states with no "employment at will" clause, you can challenge that policy tho....not easily, but you can.

here, you literally cant. employers discretion.


i.e we have medicinal marijuana here in mass. 2-3 people on our production floor have scrips.

it will be interesting if/when that comes up...

 

[cerealboi]

Inquiring minds want to know. Josh Gordon wants to know.