DEA Agents Raid NFL Medical Staffs After Games
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/ap-newsbreak-dea-agents-check-nfl-medical-staff-26955878
Federal drug enforcement agents showed up unannounced Sunday to check at least three visiting NFL teams’ medical staffs as part of an investigation into former players’ claims that teams mishandled prescription drugs.
“DEA agents are currently interviewing NFL team doctors in several locations as part of an ongoing investigation into potential violations of the (Controlled Substances Act),” Payne said.
The spot checks were done by investigators from the federal DEA. They did not target specific teams, but were done to measure whether visiting NFL clubs were generally in compliance with federal law. Agents requested documentation from visiting teams’ medical staffs for any controlled substances in their possession, and for proof that doctors could practice medicine in the home team’s state.
The nationwide probe is being directed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York — where the NFL is headquartered — but involves several U.S. attorney’s offices.
The lawsuit alleges the NFL and its teams, physicians and trainers acted without regard for players’ health, withholding information about injuries while at the same time handing out prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and Percocet, and anti-inflammatories such as Toradol, to mask pain and minimize lost playing time. The players contend some teams filled out prescriptions in players’ names without their knowledge or consent, then dispensed those drugs — according to one plaintiff’s lawyer — “like candy at Halloween,” along with combining them in “cocktails.”
At the time, these players didn’t want to get back in the game and play ? No matter the safety equipment… being tackled by a “refrigerator” isn’t going to have a high probability to cause some pain? If the DEA gets their way… will the NFL have to play touch or flag football ?
Filed under: General Problems
NFL players will be offered Schedule II drugs like codeine and Tramadol; some will may switch to medical cannabis, if they have access; and some players will go to the street. Because football players experience pain every day, and you can only ignore pain for so long.
And pain medications will only help football players so much… Cannabis is the only drug that offers neuroprotective benefits against concussions and brain trauma. Although, nicotine has shown to have these properties also, in the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The lawsuit when I first read it a few months back sounded like these docs had bottles of vicodin and percocet im the locker rooms. They’ve had so much advance warning on this, I’m sure they’ve all cleaned up by now. NFL owners remind me of big box chains…all about all mighty dollar and players are pharmacists….get it done at any cost or it’s your job.