James Burrill Angell

August 22nd, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^

More from the police officer's account of the arrest:

I informed Bell that because he was smoking marijuana, he could not operate a vehicle and could possibly be DUI. Bell replied, “I didn’t know that you could get a DUI for being high. I smoked two hours ago. I am not high anymore. I am perfectly fine. Why would I be getting high if I had to get on a plane to make it to my game?” I asked him what game he was going to and he replied, “I have to be on my plane at three to be in Philadelphia, I play for the Steelers.”

mGrowOld

August 22nd, 2014 at 11:57 AM ^

The part of this story that amazes me the most is that these guys were getting stoned literally right before they were scheduled to fly on the team plane to the game.  That's ballzy (stupid?) as hell if you ask me unless it's so commonplace they didnt think anybody would notice.

Meanwhile......Josh Gordon still waits for the decision on his appeal.

TheLastHarbaugh

August 22nd, 2014 at 8:18 PM ^

There are actually a lot of athletes that claim they perform better when they're high. There are two types of weed, indica and sativa.

To overly simplify things...Indica is coach potato weed. Sativa is "mind expansion" weed.

Some athletes will swear by sativa weed being a performance enhancer because it raises their awareness and "slows down time" for them.

I've heard this a lot from BJJ practicioners and  MMA fighters. They perform better while under the influnce of weed.

maizenblue92

August 22nd, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^

I don't know exactly what you are trying to say with your  Josh Gordon part but something needs to be cleared up for a lot of people about the Gordon situation. Because I have heard a lot of people just say, "One year for smoking pot, so unfair! (especially when compared to Rice)" Josh Gordon was suspended for a year because he has been in trouble multiple times, 3 I think. 1. Suspension for drugs (4 games), 2. a DUI, 3. another failed test.

P.S. This has nothing to with the Rice suspension which was total bullshit.

CRISPed in the DIAG

August 22nd, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^

Meh. A one-hitter of garden variety multiple hours before you even have to board a plane and multiple more hours after that before you have to play?  

Not my cup of tea if I'm getting paid to play tackle football, but its dooable.  You probably aren't old enough to have heard about the amount of pharmaceuticals (legal and otherwise) that guys used in the '70's to get on the field.  

Yes, I realize it's prohibited by their CBA and against Federal and traffic law, etc, etc, etc. 

elm

August 22nd, 2014 at 11:57 AM ^

I like the whiff of Belushi in the full quote: It couldn't be a DUI, becuase I'm high, not drunk!  I wasn't high, I last smoked two hours ago!  Why would I have smoked at all, I have a plane to catch!  There wasn earthquake!  A Terrible Flood!  Locusts!  It wasn't my fault, I swear to god!

ClearEyesFullHart

August 22nd, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^

Just because you're an athlete at MSU, that doesn't necessarily mean you're stupid. But there's a pretty good chance.

Mmmm Hmmm

August 22nd, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^

More to the point, he probably shouldn't store his loaded guns with the safety removed where Plaxico did. Otherwise he may join Plaxico in a misguided unintentional reinactment of A Christmas Story...

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LSAClassOf2000

August 22nd, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^

 NBC also reported that initially Bell had said there was no marijuana in the car, and then there was some confusion on the timeframe:

Bell initially told the officer there was no marijuana in the car, but when asked if they had smoked any, he replied: “It was about a minute ago,” before clarifying that it could have been within the previous two hours.

So, yeah, I don't know that this inspired the officer's confidence that Bell should be on the road. In any case, I would be interested to know what Bell thought the offense might be called...you know, that one where you get pulled over for being under the influence of something. 

Prince Lover

August 22nd, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^

Why would I be getting high if I had to get on a plane to make it to my game? Ummm, I don't know, why did you get high before you got on your plane to make it to your game?

CRISPed in the DIAG

August 22nd, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^

I don't fully agree with Bell, but here's what I think is his *reasoning*:

1) He smoked up a few hours ago.  

2) He's not high anymore. It was good bud, but not THAT good

3) Because he's no longer high, he's not "under the influence" and didn't realize DUI could be applied to a long-lost buzz.

 

 

aratman

August 22nd, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^

The radio keeps playing a Public service announcement: " Now that weed is legal for those over 21 be sure to know if you drive high you will get a DUI". 

 It seems just wierd being of the Nancy Reagan just say NO generation.  Funny that the whole fabric of society hasn't crumbled yet.  I came to work today without seeing one weed crazed zombie.  Though I did see 3 "gateway" drug stores, so those evil tax paying drug dealers are around.      

Skiptoomylou22

August 22nd, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^

I'd wager that the majority of human beings in the United States didn't/don't know that. Knew someone who got in trouble for that years ago and I was very much surprised but not shocked.

The Geek

August 22nd, 2014 at 7:49 PM ^

medical marijuana, I believe. I received my license in Michigan a few years ago and my doctor was very clear -- get caught and you will get a DUI and lose all privileges. Not worth it, and I agree with other posters, not a well-known law. 

Tony Soprano

August 23rd, 2014 at 9:31 AM ^

Have you stopped smoking?  If any trace of THC is found in your system, you could get charged with OWPD.   You could have smoked 3 weeks ago, You would not be high, not be impaired in any way, but marijuana would still be in your system (stays for up to 30 days) and you could get charged. 

I don't smoke, but I still don't like this law. Seems to me that the threshold should be "impaired" driving resulting from the marijuana - no impairment, no charge.  Instead, the threshold is simply having marijuana in one's system, which could have been from smoking 2-3 weeks ago, which would not affect one's driving at all.