Marijuana, the NFL and Josh Gordon

Feb 5, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; General view of fans at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Pike Street during Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII victory parade. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Professional Background: This writer has worked in professional counseling for 12 years. In that time I have worked with people who use substances as a regular client. Whether they were juveniles, adults, straight A students or criminals there were commonalities among the group. We diagnose clients in the same way doctors diagnose patients.

Diagnostic Information on Marijuana: Diagnosing a client with issues related to use of marijuana is the same as diagnosing one with issues with over the counter medicines, sugar, pain killers, tobacco and alcohol as well as illegal substances like heroine, cocaine and methamphetamine. The fact that marijuana is illegal and alcohol is legal, for example, does not play a direct role in the diagnosing of someone with a substance related disorder. Said basically we would diagnose someone with a issue with a substance if the following were true:

1. Impairment in social, educational or employment functioning or
2. Significant legal issues or
3. Use of substances when physically dangerous (driving, using heavy machinery, on ladders/roofs, etc)
4. Continued use despite causing problems in social or interpersonal relationships.

We would diagnose someone was dependent on a substance (commonly referred to as an addict or alcoholic) if 3 of the following 7 are true:

1. Physical tolerance – Needing to use more of the substance to get the same desired result.
2. Withdrawal symptoms – Physical symptoms when the drug is not used.
   1. Withdrawal rates vary per substance. (Alcohol 8 hours, Opiates 2 days, Marijuana 28 days)
3. Using more of the substance then planned/intended.
4. Continued attempts to cut down or quit while being unsuccessful.
5. Chronic focus on getting, using and/or recovering from the substance.
6. Reducing or abandoning social interactions due to substance.
7. Continued use of substance in spite of physical or psychological problems being caused by or made worse by the substance.

Understanding the Substance: Marijuana is a hallucinogen. It causes relaxation, craving for foods (specifically fats and sugars), diminishes motivation and cause visual or auditory hallucinations (though most marijuana used is not strong enough for this). The withdrawal symptoms, just like every other substance, is the opposite of the effects of the substance. Withdrawal causes irritation, body aches, lack of patience, lack of appetite, and increased motivation. Withdrawal takes place about 28 days from the last use of the substance and, just like the effects, depends on how long and how much of the substance is used. Many say there is no withdrawal symptoms due to the time lapse before the symptoms and that the symptoms can also be caused by a bad nights sleep, a cold or flu or other common life occurrences.

Why the Concern: The effects aren’t great. The withdrawals are similar to a cold or bad night sleep. Many states have legalized the substance. What is the concern for Gordon, other NFL Players or the normal everyday citizen? As a counselor there are a few reasons to be concerned:

1. Motivation – A unmotivated Gordon is less likely to work hard on his craft, whether physically or mentally.
2. Social – Most substance users hang out primarily with people who also use the same substance they do. A non-diverse crowd can always be problematic. Especially when substances are involved.
3. Legality – Factually it is illegal in many states and is banned in the NFL. Using something that is not allowed is concerning for an athlete who needs to be disciplined as well as the common man who could get in trouble. In states where marijuana is illegal often users limit their job choices to ones where they are not drug tested, often lower paying jobs.
4. Emotional Regulation – For me this is the most important issue so I will finish this article expounding on it.

Emotional Regulation: Turning to any substance or behavior to deal with stress, sadness, anger, anxiety, etc is a concern. Whether it is sex, cake, alcohol or marijuana the need for something external to attempt to deal with a problem that is internal is not successful. The internal problem still exists but is masked by the external object/behavior/substance. When the taste of cake finally leaves your mouth or the effects of the alcohol, marijuana, caffeine or other substance wears off the problem is still there. Often times it has grown, like mold in the refrigerator that isn’t cleaned. Anyone using these external ways will continue to do so because they work, they work quickly and the result is guaranteed if short lived. Their solution to the short lived part is often to use more and use more often the external solution. In the end they don’t tend to develop internal skills to cope with their issues and become dependent on the external to solve their internal.

The other side of emotional regulation is fun. If they aren’t using substances as a stress relief they often use it to have fun. Often this tends to lead to the belief, sub-conscious, that a substance, whether that is alcohol, opiates, cocaine, marijuana or sugar, is required to have fun. When these two get connected, substances and fun, the person finds themselves unable to have fun when their substance of choice is not around. They start to crave it, revolve their social life around it and become bored without it. Fun and substances are one in the same.

Thank you for taking time to read this long post. I hope you leave with the following: Not promoting using the substance or is legalization. Not trying to convince you it should stay illegal. Jared sees alcohol, sugar, tobacco and marijuana all as substances and legality does not play a role in this post, unless stated directly. That this overall concern is a problem for many, not just with marijuana. I ask that the comment section not be used to advocate the need for legal marijuana, or to criticize those who do use it. Instead I hope your comments give me feedback, encourage others or pose questions to continue the conversation.