Report: Anonymous source within the NHLPA reveals interesting attitudes towards marijuana.

There have been some interesting revelations regarding the National Hockey League's policy on recreational drugs.

Report James McClure of Cvilized.com recently got into contact with a source within the National Hockey League Player's Association that revealed a great deal of information regarding how the NHL treats positive tests for drugs marijuana.

While the other major sports league's like the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association will hit you with big time fines and suspensions if caught using the drug, the NHL is much more lenient in that regard.

From McClure:

Players aren't identified - regardless of the results. And those who who test positive aren't disciplined. Instead, the anonymous stats are presented to the NHL and NHLPA's Performance Enhancing Substances Program Committee for review so that they can decide how to handle testing moving forward.

However, if a player is found to have a dangerously high level of a narcotic or cannabinoid, he is subject to mandatory assessment by doctors working for the NHL and NHLPA's Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program. Those doctors could decide to refer him to mandatory substance-abuse treatment. The assessment and referral aren't meant to be disciplinary procedures, but they are mandatory.

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When you consider that marijuana has become a very popular painkiller alternative to opioids, and importantly a far less addictive alternative, it makes a great deal of sense to punish players with treatment, rather than docking their pay and preventing them from playing.

While it's likely to be a strategy that is met with some level of controversy, the NHL has been compiling testing data for some time now, and clearly they feel this is is in the best interests of their players.