Three LSU players Suspended for Failed Drug Tests

According to a report released Thursday, three players for Louisiana State University—two starters and one “heavily used” reserve player—all tested positive for synthetic marijuana in a school-administered drug test earlier in the month. Subsequently, Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com is reporting that the three players, Tryann Mathieu, Tharold Simon, and Spencer Ware, are now being held out of at least this Saturday’s contest against Auburn at Tiger Stadium. According to inside sources, the players must successfully complete a series of requirements in order to be eligible for team play once again.

The reports made in this article have certainly prompted discussion amidst the NCAA. Upon hearing about the three LSU players, members, as well as non-members, of the NCAA are reminded of Anderson, South Carolina native, Lamar Jack—another player found guilty of synthetic marijuana use. However, for Jack, the consequences of using this drug were much more severe. Earlier this month reports were made that after collapsing during a pre-season workout, Jack died in a local hospital due to the ingestion of the chemical JWH-018, a chemical used in synthetic marijuana. Yet even after the facts of Jack’s death became public knowledge, the use of synthetic marijuana is still increasing in popularity. An individual close to the case at LSU states, “…It’s an epidemic. It’s not just here, it’s everywhere. It’s scary because the kids don’t know anything about it. It’s a student-body issue, not just a student-athlete issue…” Clearly, the use of synthetic marijuana is a broad issue, and not just within college athletics. However, because its usage is ever broadening within college athletics, the NCAA is now debating on whether or not to start testing for synthetic carbinoids—chemicals found in synthetic marijuana—during its drug tests. Currently the NCAA is not. Of course, the recent news of Lamar Jack, and now the three players at LSU may certainly change things.

The content of this article covers much more than merely the situation at LSU. Although the player suspensions will likely pose some significant consequences for LSU on the playing field, the fact of the matter is that the distribution and use of synthetic marijuana is becoming an increasingly popular topic for discussion—so much so that the NCAA must now decide on whether or not to include a test for synthetic carbinoids in its drug tests. The decision to add this test could be quite costly, yet the benefits of a safer, more drug free athletic realm may definitely be worth the cost. Additionally, Schlabach certainly succeeds in including the background information necessary to complete this article. Readers are left unaware of what “requirements” the LSU players must complete, but this information is presumably beyond Schlabach’s control. All in all, the content of this article is definitely that of huge interest, and will be interesting to follow over the next few months. We must now all wait and see if the NCAA will amend its drug tests to include testing for synthetic marijuana. More specifically, we will soon see the consequences of LSU’s losing three key players in this Saturday’s SEC match-up with Auburn.