Should Lance Mackey, who won the Alaska Iditarod four times be stripped of his title because

[Winterblues]

He uses Medical Marijuana on the trail. Is it any different the a baseball player using steroids? He says it makes the trail bearable for him...There is a big stink in Alaska about this right now...

[elehhhhna]

1. NO. It can't possibly give him an athletic advantage over the other entrants.

[Winterblues]

4. Not only that but it is a "Prescription Drug"

He carries an Alaska Medical Marijuana Certificate. He isn't using the drug to bolster his athleticism.

[elehhhhna]

9. persecution, plain & simple.

[timeforpeace]

23. I agree, prosecution.

[Johonny]

20. might not matter

In many professional sports you can be suspended for legal substances inside OTC drugs and prescription drugs. Some sports grant you waivers, but players have certainly run a foul for drugs used in a perfectly legal matter.

[napi21]

2. Doesn't MJ slw you down and mellow you out? That doesn't

sound lie it gives him any advantage to me.

[paulsby]

11. it has some performance enhancing aspects

depends on the sport. for example, it has similar effect to beta blockers which would be advantageous for a biathlete (biathletes have to do intense distance skiing, THEN do very precise shooting).

[NightWatcher]

12. have you ever smoked up and tried to get something done?

if he was stoned while he raced, he should get two medals

[dysfunctional press]

17. i do it all the time.

it gives me the energy and motivation to get things done.

[NightWatcher]

18. wow, I get the munchies and want to watch my eyelids

only after drinking a gallon of powerade

[paulsby]

19. i've never smoked

but there's been a lot of debate about this in my sport. one athlete just got a huge fine and suspension for testing positive for thc.

the reality is that mj is psychoactive and has other effects (like stimulating appetite). there are some sports it would be disadvantageous for, and others it would be advantageous.

it is true that in many people, mj tends to suck out incentive to do stuff. but for competitive athletes, they have drive to spare.

i used to room in college with a bunch of swimmers/water polo players. they would frequently "wake and bake" before practice, and they said it helped the numbing boredom of lap after lap, helped their appetite, etc.

but since it's prescribed, it becomes thornier. many drugs that are otherwise banned, are ok IF they are used by script. but not all.

for example, my org bans (among other things) albuterol. however, if you have asthma and have it prescribed it's ok.

etc.

ditto for diuretics. ok if you have a script.

[Blue_In_AK]

22. He's won it three years in a row,

now to mention the Yukon Quest four times.

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. No!

So it is said, so let it be written! Next.

[Arctic Dave]

5. No. This one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

I think this is more about free publicity from a made up controversy.

[mitchtv]

6. it is somewhaat different

I don't think MJ comes under the heading of performance enhancing.Although for me, it would enhance the ride through the wilderness greatly

[joeybee12]

7. Makes the trail bearable? How?

Seriously, if he wouldn't be up to doing it mentally without the mj, then it does help him.

that said, ban these stupid, cruel races. What, seven dogs died last year?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

8. He might eat one of the dogs but it's hardly performance enhancing

[gratuitous]

10. Only if . . .

Only if you strip Tiger Woods of all of his golf tournament victories since he got lasik surgery to improve his vision.

[NightWatcher]

13. the only competition where pot would help performance....

Eating competitions

[Winterblues]

14. My question would be how could anyone NOT smoke something on such a journey?

Talk about grueling. Pot could only be a benefit especially since it doesn't really screw you up, but just makes things a little more enjoyable.

[Scout]

15. gee, if he was sharing it with the dogs, they might have a point....

but i don't think so really.

how could it give him any advantage to be stoned on the sled?

methinks some people are jealous....

[logosoco]

16. As long as the dogs weren't smoking it, I don't see the problem.nt

[Blue_In_AK]

21. I didn't hear that they wanted to strip him of his title,

only that they were going to be drug testing this year -- which I think is a load bullshit, personally, especially since marijuana is virtually legal here. I could see maybe testing for cocaine or amphetamine because it might give mushers an edge as far as staying awake, but marijuana? Give me a large break.

I really like Lance. We spent some time talking with him out in Nome last March. He's really a nice, down-to-earth guy besides being a hell of a musher. Also he won the humanitarian award last year which is given by the trail veterinarians to the musher who takes the best care of his dogs.

http://www.mackeyscomebackkennel.com/

[timeforpeace]

24. Of course not, but am curious what condition he has that it's prescribed for.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. He's a cancer survivor.

You can read his rather inspiration story here: http://www.mackeyscomebackkennel.com/About.htm

Another good article is here: http://kit-dogdaze.blogspot.com/2009/03/lance-mackeys-story.html

I would assume he gets the medical marijuana to cope with the residual damage done by the throat cancer.

[timeforpeace]

26. Wow. That is amazing. Thanks.