Lomas Brown, a former NFL offensive lineman and ESPN analyst, say at least 50% of current NFL players use marijuana, and that about 90% used when he entered the NFL in 1985.

His claim comes amongst increased media attention on marijuana use among college players, including a CBS report that says 4 out of 10 draft-eligible players failed at least one drug test while in school, and 20% failed more than once. Add to that 3 marijuana-related arrests of players from the Detroit Lions this offseason and you have a story you’re going to hear about for some time to come.

But is it really that big of a deal? Marijuana is not like steroids, it doesn’t give a physical advantage. So even if players are blazed when they get to the stadium on game day, who cares? And it’s obviously not doing the players any harm, you have to be in great physical condition to be an NFL player; even 350-pound lineman can outrun most of the people watching the games. If half use marijuana their performance isn’t suffering.

So if makes no difference in the games, why should the NFL worry about it? They shouldn’t, but sadly they do have to deal with players being arrested for marijuana offenses and the legal entanglements that ensue, something that will last as long as cannabis prohibition does.

- Joe Klare