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The NFL and NFLPA passed a new drug policy earlier this week, but it was not until Friday afternoon, after the release of joint statement between the league and its players union, that we saw the details of the new agreement. Listed below are the highlights of the policy:
HGH testing: This derisive issue has long been reported as the primary holdup between getting a new policy hammered out. The joint statement claims testing will begin by the end of September.
Appeals: One of the key issues for the players focused on who would hear appeals for policy violations. Uncomfortable with the commissioner serving as judge, jury and executioner, the players pushed through an amendment that requires third-party arbitrators for all appeals. The appeal process has also been retooled to work faster and under more standardized rules.
DUI discipline: The league is becoming stricter on this topic. Where previous first-time offenders were generally let off without a suspension, the new policy calls for a two-game ban for a first violation. Second violation will draw an eight-game suspension. Aggravating circumstances can lengthen the suspension in either case.
PED discipline: First-time offenders can be suspended four games for using a banned substance (including HGH). Any attempt to cover up results of a test (a masking agent, for instance) gets a six-game ban.
Marijuana threshold: The NFL is ramping down it's stance on marijuana use. The threshold for a positive test has been increased from 15 ng/ml to 35 ng/ml.
Marijuana discipline: The punishment for a positive test is also changing. As is the case now, a first-time offense lands the player in the substance abuse program without a suspension. The primary difference is the punishment for a second positive test: simply a two-game fine. Each additional violation receives the following progressive discipline: four-game fine, four-game suspension, 10-game suspension. A player can therefore test positive for marijuana three times without getting suspended.