Yesterday, the Vikings released wide receiver Jerome Simpson with little fanfare. The reason? A traffic citation that occurred… over two months ago. Keep in mind Simpson, no stranger to booze- and drug-related controversy, was pulled over with an open bottle and marijuana in his vehicle. That being the case, we asked Bloomington Deputy Chief Rick Hart why he wasn’t arrested. Hart says not arresting somebody in that situation is “very typical.”
“Unless there’s ongoing criminal conduct, or a history of not responding to a citation, it’s very appropriate to issue a citation,” Hart says. “The primary reason to arrest [someone]is to stop criminal behavior… the officers made a determination that he was not intoxicated.”
Never mind that the NFL has updated their marijuana policy within the last week to allow for more leniency in pot testing punishments, Simpson won’t be playing in Minnesota this year. More at the Minneapolis City Pages.

Toke of the Town 2014.

According to sources within the NFL Players Union, the NFL is discussing the possibility of lowering the threshold for a positive THC test to 150 nanograms of metabolites per one milliliter of blood.
If approved, that would mean that players could use cannabis pretty much up until the day before a game and still be able to pass the tests – essentially loosening the league’s anti-pot stance.

News flash: Plenty of people in Colorado regularly engage in outdoor recreational activities after using marijuana. But the notion of a so-called “Hash Hike,” slated to take place on (we’re pretty sure) Saturday morning on a nearby 14er, has resulted in online vibe-harshing between the Reddit users coordinating it and more traditional climbers.
The location for the hike is Mt. Bierstadt, which some describe as being one of the easiest 14ers to summit. Mt. Bierstadt’s accessibility means it frequently draws a crowd. During one reader’s most recent visit earlier this summer, he says people were lined up on the trail waiting for their chance to move even further above sea level.

Update: As expected, cops in Ross Township outside of Pittsburgh have charged Steelers running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount with marijuana possession for a three-quarter ounce bag of herb found in their car earlier this week after the pair were caught smoking up in traffic. Bell has also been charged with driving under the influence of marijuana. In Pennsylvania, it’s illegal to have any THC metabolites in your system when driving a car.
A third person in the car, 21-year-old Mercedes Dollson, was also charged with pot possession. Cops noted that all three were cooperative and polite, which you kind of have to be when a motorcycle cop pulls up next to you when you’ve got a lit joint going around the car.

News reports this week indicate that one of the Cowboys’ few defensive bright spots from last season, cornerback Orlando Scandrick, has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 regular season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance abuse policy. Scandrick has already lost his appeal in the matter, so it looks like the Cowboys will be stuck with whatever the mercurial Mo Claiborne can give the on the outside for the first quarter of the season.
The details of Scandrick’s indiscretion — if his agent and ESPN’s Ed Werder are to be believed — are pretty mundane. While on vacation in Mexico with an ex-girlfriend, Scandrick, or someone in his party, mixed a drug — reported by Werder to be MDMA — purchased from a street vendor into a cocktail he was drinking. More at the Dallas Observer.

TokeoftheTown.com

According to ESPN.com sources, the NFL is reworking it’s drug policy to include a “higher threshold” for marijuana tests and reduce the penalties for athletes caught in violation of the league rules.

This past fall and winter there was a push to get medical marijuana recognized as a legitimate treatment for players in the NFL suffering from concussions. And now, with Spring Training wrapping up and opening day just three days away, it is time to shift our attention to Major League Baseball.
ESPN got the conversation started this week, asking an anonymous poll of MLB players whether they would use medical marijuana for pain if it were legal in all 50 states. Just under half (49 percent) said they would. Check out the graphic over at ESPN the magazine.