Friday, November 6, 2009

Marijuana: PED?


Yesterday, Giants pitching phenom Tim Lincecum was pulled over for speeding on a highway in Washington State, and arrested for possessing a small amount of marijuana.

Let's be honest here: is anyone really surprised? More importantly, is anyone all that upset?

As Twitter user Kdawg1313 said "I'd be shocked if Lincecum was busted for steroids! Weed, not so much." I would be MUCH more upset if Lincecum was cheating with some sort of performance enhancer... As it is, I just wonder what sort of penalty he'll face from baseball.

Now, if it were up to me, he would have to answer to his state laws, and MLB would have to leave him be: he wasn't cheating, so in my opinion, this falls outside of their jurisdiction. If Joba Chamberlain can endanger his own life and the lives of others with DUI without sanction from MLB, Tim Lincecum deserves the same luxury.

Personally, I don't smoke (marijuana or otherwise). However, many people do... It's naive to believe with any sort of certainty that baseball doesn't have players who enjoy smoking recreationally; many of them enjoy tobacco in one or more of its forms, and I don't think marijuana is that different.

Now, I understand this is a legal issue, because regardless of public opinion about marijuana, the fact is that it is illegal in the United States (with certain exceptions in certain states)... But as a baseball fan, I take the same stance on this as I took with the Michael Phelps debacle: if he can smoke pot and still dominate all of his competition, more power to him.

What do you guys think?

3 comments:

  1. Hmm. I def agree that is Joba Chamberlain can get away with DUI then Lincecum should get the same. (Something should have been done in my opinion but what do I know!) I mean, yeah it's a little disappointing because he's on the big stage in the public eye, but at the same time, like you said...it's not so surprising.

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  2. weed isn't an PED... if anything... it makes you slower, giggly... and makes enjoyable listen to greatful dead... xDDD

    since the first day i saw lincecum... i thought "this lige fits perfectly on the west coast... looks like a surfer duuuuude" a potential jeff spicoli in the making... personally i think that he shouldn't be punished...

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  3. I think its the offseason so what he does is his own right... however I do think there are laws in MLB about not using pot so he will probably end up being suspended for some amount of time even though it wasnt during the season. If he was from Massachusetts and was caught here it's just a little fine and nothing on your record if its under a certain weight :) yay Massachusetts we know how to do it right. Same-sex marriage is legal and just a small slap on the wrist for a small amount of pot w/nothing on your record. I love my state.

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