Malthouse says: recreational drugs may well be performance enhancing.

[Sanecow]

In his weekly newspaper column, Malthouse wrote that he was becoming "increasingly suspicious" about whether some illicit substance might help players' on-field performance.

...

"Just look at the drugs that (some) in the general community unfortunately have been involved with.

"You just read the chemical makeup of those and see what effect it has on the body - you can't tell me it's not performance-enhancing."

Source

So much for the dud line of "illicit drugs are a police problem and the AFL should ignore it".

[AnnieH]

Performance enhancing indeed.
Give them a joint and see how their performance is enhanced.
More likely they'll be lying on the grass looking at the clouds, ala the old guys in Crackerjack!!

[BeeEmmAre]

Performance enhancing indeed.
Give them a joint and see how their performance is enhanced.
More likely they'll be lying on the grass looking at the clouds, ala the old guys in Crackerjack!!

I agree with MM (for the second time ever).
If you're stoned I'd reckon you'd probably not feel pain and be able to play through it.
Just ask the Drug Lab on the other side of the country.

[NMWBloods]

Being stoned would impair both your decision making and your motor skills.

[AnnieH]

Being stoned would impair both your decision making and your motor skills.

Exactly.

How many of our players do you reckon play stoned?

[AnnieH]

I agree with MM (for the second time ever).
If you're stoned I'd reckon you'd probably not feel pain and be able to play through it.
Just ask the Drug Lab on the other side of the country.

When you're stoned, you still feel pain BMR. You just don't care about it as much.

[Sanecow]

I don't know where you guys live, but "illicit drugs" doesn't just mean marijuana.

[goswannie14]

Aren't pain killers performance enhancing too? If somewone has to have pain killers to be able to play then that is enhancing their performance, because without them they wouldn't be playing.

If you want to be pedantic even hay fever or ventolin medication could be seen as performance enhancing.

It's all a matter of what you define as performance enhancing.

[Sanecow]

And also, here's an interesting list of "Chronic Conditions Treated With Cannabis Encountered Between 1990-2005"

Source

Linked from a survey of conditions reported by medical cannabis specailist Dr. Tod Mikuriya

[NMWBloods]

Exactly.

How many of our players do you reckon play stoned?

Didn't you say in the other thread that recreational drugs were performance enhancing.

[Sanecow]

If you want to be pedantic even hay fever or ventolin medication could be seen as performance enhancing.

Ventolin is listed as prohibited on the asada web site.

[Layby]

Ventolin is listed as prohibited on the asada web site.

What !

Next you will be telling me things you find in your mums handbag are illegal.

[liz]

My understanding of the AFL drug code is that it treats "recreational" drugs as potentially short-term performance enhancing. That is, if you test positive for "recreational" drugs on game day, the sanctions are the same as if you test positive for those deemed to be "performance enhancing". I am not sure what their status is if you test positive midweek but during the season.

[Ruda Wakening]

I am not sure what their status is if you test positive midweek but during the season.

Basically it's viewed as being out of competition.

[cruiser]

Crystal meth is definitely performance enhancing.