The NFL is issuing new guidance on drug testing and player welfare, and it could impact many facets of the sport, including drug testing.
The NFL Players Association released the guidelines on Monday, and they are designed to be a roadmap for NFL players to follow.
In addition to clarifying drug testing policies and procedures, the guidelines also outline what drugs are considered acceptable and which ones are not.
For example, drugs like marijuana are now permitted to be used by NFL players, and a substance called naloxone is now a legitimate emergency medical treatment for patients suffering from an opioid overdose.
The guidelines do not provide details on how or when players will be tested, but the NFL has made clear that it will be mandatory.
The league will use a uniform policy that will include a uniform, consistent drug test program across the league.
While the guidelines provide no details about the exact number of players who will be required to submit to drug tests, the league’s chief medical officer, Dr. Robert Caplan, said that the league will take care of any player who is deemed to be unfit to participate in the league by providing medical or other necessary assistance.
The announcement comes as the NFL is facing increased scrutiny for its handling of its players, including recent reports that players were tested on an hourly basis.
The NFL suspended players who tested positive for substances in January for the first time in decades, and commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged on Tuesday that the policy had led to some players’ suffering serious medical consequences.
The league has not confirmed any of the players’ positive tests, but some players have alleged that they were tested twice a week, and other players have claimed they were screened at least once a day.
In an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told Ellen that the players have been tested in multiple ways, and that they had received the same drug test each time.
He also noted that the drug testing process was different in each city, and the NFLPA is “looking into” any instances of players being sent home from games who were tested positive.
In some cases, Smith said, the tests were done on players who were not eligible for a second test.
However, in other cases, the NFL’s medical staff has said that players are eligible to return to the field if they are positive for a banned substance.
The new guidelines are similar to the ones issued in January, but include a more extensive list of substances, including marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, opioids, amphetamine salts and other drugs.
The new guidelines also allow for additional testing when a player is not medically cleared.
The rules also address player safety and the availability of testing equipment, which have been an issue with players being tested multiple times during the preseason and regular season.
The rules say players who are injured or have other medical conditions may be subject to additional testing if they have a negative drug test.
Players who are not eligible to participate due to medical conditions or have been excluded from participating because of other conditions are not exempt from drug testing, and any positive test will result in a suspension for at least 30 days.
The full list of banned substances is below.
Players are not required to disclose which substances are on their list.
The following is a list of substance-abuse and mental health disorders that will not be considered a qualifying condition under the NFL drug policy.
Injuries to the knee, shoulder, head, neck, back, shoulder blades, facial, genital, testicular or sexual organs, or other parts of the body are not considered a mental health condition and do not require an evaluation by a physician.
Players are required to test at least three times a week for substance abuse or mental health issues.
Players will be expected to comply with the league policy on how they report the testing results, whether or not they are subject to a suspension, and how they treat any adverse findings.
The information in this article was obtained by ESPN.
