DEA harrassing NFL teams medical staffs over prescription drugs and medical licenses

[devil21]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-newsbreak-dea-agents-check-nfl-medical-staff-224146662--nfl.html



Federal drug enforcement agents showed up unannounced Sunday to check at least two visiting NFL teams' medical staffs as part of an investigation into former players' claims that teams mishandled prescription drugs.

There were no arrests, Drug Enforcement Agency spokesman Rusty Payne said Sunday. The San Francisco 49ers' staff was checked at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, after they played the New York Giants. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' staff was going to be checked at Baltimore-Washington International airport after playing the Redskins.

The operation was still ongoing, and other teams may be checked later Sunday, Payne said.

''DEA agents are currently interviewing NFL team doctors in several locations as part of an ongoing investigation into potential violations of the (Controlled Substances Act),'' Payne said.

The spot checks were done by investigators from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. They did not target specific teams, but were done to measure whether visiting NFL clubs were generally in compliance with federal law. Agents requested documentation from visiting teams' medical staffs for any controlled substances in their possession, and for proof that doctors could practice medicine in the home team's state.

The nationwide probe is being directed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York - where the NFL is headquartered - but involves several U.S. attorney's offices.

The investigation was sparked by a lawsuit filed in May on behalf of former NFL players going back to 1968. The number of plaintiffs has grown to more than 1,200, including dozens who played as recently as 2012. Any violations of federal drug laws from 2009 forward could also become the subject of a criminal investigation because they would not be subject to the five-year statute of limitations.

''This is an unprecedented raid on a professional sports league,'' said Steve Silverman, one of the attorneys for the former players. "I trust the evidence reviewed and validated leading up to this action was substantial and compelling.''

Federal prosecutors have conducted interviews in at least three cities over the past three weeks, spending two days in Los Angeles in late October meeting with a half-dozen former players - including at least two who were named plaintiffs in the painkillers' lawsuit, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the meetings who spoke on the condition of anonymity because prosecutors told them not to comment on the meetings.

The lawsuit alleges the NFL and its teams, physicians and trainers acted without regard for players' health, withholding information about injuries while at the same time handing out prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and Percocet, and anti-inflammatories such as Toradol, to mask pain and minimize lost playing time. The players contend some teams filled out prescriptions in players' names without their knowledge or consent, then dispensed those drugs - according to one plaintiffs' lawyer - ''like candy at Halloween'' as well as combining them in ''cocktails.''

Several former players interviewed by The Associated Press described the line of teammates waiting to get injections on game day often spilling out from the training room. Others recounted flights home from games where trainers walked down the aisle and players held up a number of fingers to indicate how many pills they wanted.

The controlled substance act mandates that only doctors and nurse practitioners can dispense prescription drugs, and only in those states where they are licensed. The act also lays out stringent requirements for acquiring, labeling, storing and transporting drugs. Trainers who are not licensed would be in violation of the law simply by carrying a controlled substance.

The former players have reported a range of debilitating effects, from chronic muscle and bone ailments to permanent nerve and organ damage to addiction. They contend those health problems came from drug use, but many of the conditions haven't been definitively linked to painkillers.

The lawsuit is currently being heard in the northern district of California, where presiding judge William Alsup said he wants to hear the NFL Players Association's position on the case before deciding on the league's motion to dismiss. The NFL maintained that it's not responsible for the medical decisions of its 32 teams. League attorneys also argued the issue should be addressed by the players union, which negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that covers player health.

The DEA investigation comes during a turbulent time for the NFL.

The league is still weathering criticism over its treatment of several players accused of domestic violence, and just wrapped up an arbitration hearing involving Ravens' running back Ray Rice, who is contesting the length of his suspension. The league has hired former FBI director Robert Mueller III to investigate its handling of the Rice case.

The NFL is also trying to finalize a $765 million class-action settlement reached in August 2013 over complaints by thousands of former players that the NFL concealed the risk of concussions.

[Brian4Liberty]

It seems that they are really cracking down on prescription drugs. I've heard stories from elderly patients with pain issues that Doctors can't even prescribe enough pain-killers anymore. They are somehow restricting Doctors and pharmacies. Supposedly there was a change in the past few months. They are limiting patients to two pills per day, which sometimes isn't enough for elderly arthritis patients.

But it's well worth it. I feel much safer knowing that old folks don't take too many pain-killers.

[Brian4Liberty]

Obama and Holder, expanding the war on drugs...


U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the expansion of the DEA program earlier this week in a video posted on the Justice Department’s website during which he pointed out that nearly 40 percent of teenagers who abused prescription medication got them from family medicine cabinets.

“These shocking statistics illustrate that prescription drug addiction and abuse represent nothing less than a public health crisis,” Holder said in the video message. “Every day, this crisis touches — and devastates — the lives of Americans from every state, in every region, and from every background and walk of life.”
...
Prescription painkillers create feelings of euphoria that can sedate users and slow down their breathing. Since the 1990s, rates of abuse have more than tripled. Today, more than 12 million people across the country use opioids for nonmedical reasons. Three-quarters of prescription drug abusers said they often use medication prescribed to someone else.

That’s why many people, including U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), publicly applauded the DEA’s recent efforts.

“By creating commonsense ways to securely dispose of unused or unwanted prescription drugs, we are taking direct action to combat prescription drug abuse that affects so many West Virginians and Americans,” Manchin said in a news release on Monday.

“In order to build strong, drug-free communities, we all must fight against prescription drug abuse by safely discarding old prescribed medications to the appropriate officials so that these potentially dangerous drugs don’t end up in the wrong hands,” Manchin added. “I applaud the DEA’s new rules and remain reassured that they will help save lives and curb the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs.”
...
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/09/09/3565028/us-pharmacies-unused-medication/

[DFF]

Yeah...lets put those old folks in prison. They'll be safe and healthy in a cage.

[Anti Federalist]

Since NFL pre-games are nothing but orgasms of state worship and idolatry of "heroes" in uniform, good, fuck 'em, hope theye throw some of 'em in jail.

How you like your heroes now, huh?

[Brian4Liberty]

Since NFL pre-games are nothing but orgasms of state worship and idolatry of "heroes" in uniform, good, fuck 'em, hope theye throw some of 'em in jail.

How you like your heroes now, huh?

Isn't it interesting how when the NFL is under attack for being so "male", aggressive and violent, that the way to get out of that for them is to go military? It's about them knowing their place in the new society under Hillary. Useful as long as they remain collared drones of war.

[Wooden Indian]

I am an NFL fan and a member of a couple of team bulletin boards. Most fans do not care. All of 4 people have commented on it and one of those was the "if we have nothing to hide then do whatever they say" type of response.

Most are fans of the State first... then football. They would approve of John Law putting lumps on the whole team. Why? Cuz 'Murca.

[oyarde]

Since NFL pre-games are nothing but orgasms of state worship and idolatry of "heroes" in uniform, good, fuck 'em, hope theye throw some of 'em in jail.

How you like your heroes now, huh?

It is kind of weird , it is just a game .I enjoyed playing it as a youngster , but you are definitely onto something with the idolatry , and probably the state worship. Before 9 /11 I used to go to a couple games a yr .

[oyarde]

It seems that they are really cracking down on prescription drugs. I've heard stories from elderly patients with pain issues that Doctors can't even prescribe enough pain-killers anymore. They are somehow restricting Doctors and pharmacies. Supposedly there was a change in the past few months. They are limiting patients to two pills per day, which sometimes isn't enough for elderly arthritis patients.

But it's well worth it. I feel much safer knowing that old folks don't take too many pain-killers. Most of my friends who are over 80 ( many have recently passed ) , live with a lot of pain .They worked hard and have the bodies that come from that . I probably had what a young person today would consider chronic pain by the time I was 30. With aspirin, beer , bourbon , horse liniment (menthol rub) :) , I managed to keep getting by .I worked too hard too and thought I would get by with it .

[devil21]

Since NFL pre-games are nothing but orgasms of state worship and idolatry of "heroes" in uniform, good, fuck 'em, hope theye throw some of 'em in jail.

How you like your heroes now, huh?

So War on Drugs is ok if it's used against people you don't like?

[Anti Federalist]

So War on Drugs is ok if it's used against people you don't like?

No, for fuck's sake, of course not, but you know what?

I'm pretty fair sick and tired of playing Mr. Nice Guy, while idiots all around me cheer on and enable my oppressors.

Allow me a little Schadenfreude for Christ's sakes, willya? :mad:

[Natural Citizen]

Okay. That does it. From now on these guys will be manning the pharmacies, counting out pills and filling prescriptions...

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?462902-DARPA’s-Atlas-robot-learns-karate-(VIDEO)&p=5703067&viewfull=1#post5703067

Probably some other stuff too.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

NFL is high profile right now. Probably the most lucrative sport going in 2014. These DEA lice are just latching on to the high profile. If these DEA wimps can't be big bucks athletes, then the next best thing is bringing down the big bucks athletes.

Congress and lice basically did the same thing when McGwire and friends were hitting all those home runs and everybody in America was watching baseball.

[Mani]

With all the legalization of weed, we need to keep up the good fight of the war on drugs...So it's good to have a new rallying cry. War on prescription drugs!

WE MUST DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phill4paul]

Most of my friends who are over 80 ( many have recently passed ) , live with a lot of pain .They worked hard and have the bodies that come from that . I probably had what a young person today would consider chronic pain by the time I was 30. With aspirin, beer , bourbon , horse liniment (menthol rub) :) , I managed to keep getting by .I worked too hard too and thought I would get by with it .

The story of my life. Bigeloil and bourbon for the win. Lol.

[Brian4Liberty]

Hey Look, We’re Russia Now: DEA Raids NFL Teams, Calls The Raids ‘Administrative’ (http://www.independentsentinel.com/hey-look-were-russia-now-dea-raids-nfl-teams-calls-them-administrative/)
by Sara Noble • November 17, 2014



...
Agents know where to put their energies and that is to make unannounced raids of NFL teams looking for prescription drug abuse as they did this past Sunday.

I feel safer already.

The confused media has been handling the NFL scandals noticeably differently. They certainly handle them differently from the Obama scandals which they never or barely mention.

The most serious scandal of course is the name of the Washington Redskins team which stood for pride and accomplishment until the liberals decided the lost-in-time and obscure meaning of the word “redskins” was what it really meant. The PC police have been all over that ever since. Some won’t even mention the name! Harry Reid is trying to employ the tactics of tyrants to stop this perceived abomination even though the name was approved by 90% of Indians in this country.

The second most serious round of cases are the concussion cases. The NFL is in the midst of trying to settle thousands of these cases because players didn’t know they shouldn’t keep playing after repeated shots in the head. The left-wing media has been all over that story.

There has also been the much-publicized wife-beating accusations though statistics show NFL players have a lower incidence of wife-beating than the average American. Wife-beating is an epidemic in the country.

The latest is a story ignored by the media until yesterday. It began in 1968 and allegedly continued until 2012.

Eight former NFL players—Richard Dent, Jim McMahon, Jeremy Newberry, Roy Green, J.D. Hill, Keith Van Horne, Ron Stone, and Ron Pritchard—filed a class-action lawsuit in May alleging that the NFL supplied them with illegally prescribed painkillers throughout their careers, which led to medical complications such as addiction later in life.

The NFL has just relaxed their pot rules because some players say it helps with pain. They’d better toughen them back up.

The plaintiffs in the suit claim they were unaware of the effects these drugs could have and seem to believe they are not responsible in any way. How is that even possible?
...
Former player, JD Hill, who played for the Lions, said, “Yeah, I had never done a drug in my life. I join the NFL and I come out of there homeless and a junkie. I’d never done drugs in my life. The NFL turned me into a homeless junkie.”
...
The media wouldn’t cover the story until the raids yesterday. Is it because the media likes drugs? They don’t like football or the NFL these days so it can’t be to protect them.

Big Pharma pays for a lot of the media’s advertising but I don’t want to sound like a cynic so I’ll stop there.

They have to cover it now. The DEA is raiding the teams, questioning or grilling players, doctors, nurses and they are calling the raids administrative investigations. The “inspections”, which were more like raids, entailed bag searches.

All of a sudden it warrants raids without warrants. At least there was no mention of warrants. The raids were launched in response to a civil lawsuit, not a criminal proceeding.

DEA agents, working in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration agents, launched these “administrative investigations” Sunday. Six teams were spot-checked, not “targeted” according to law enforcement officials.

The San Francisco 49ers’ staff were checked at MetLife Stadium after playing the NY Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ staff were checked in the airport after playing the Redskins. The Seattle Seahawks admitted they were subject to an inspection following their game in Kansas City.

It wasn’t only those two teams however – this is a sweep and it smacks of a fishing expedition which is supposed to be illegal.
...
The DEA said they had reason to look at the teams inspected Sunday in particular, but the investigation is not restricted to them, according to the law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is ongoing. It’s a sweep which brings many innocent people into the case.

In a sweep, everyone gets to be treated like a criminal.

The official said the investigation focuses on practices across the 32-team league, including possible distribution of drugs without prescriptions or labels and the dispensing of drugs by trainers rather than physicians.

The players apparently bear no responsibility for taking these substances.They are not being investigated themselves, they just get the payout.

The NFL contends they are not responsible for actions of the teams. They are the ones with the money! The NFL asked the judge to remove them from the suit but that has not been ruled on yet.

The DEA has characterized their raids Sunday as “administrative” which probably means they kept their guns holstered and asked for cooperation unlike their performance at the Gibson Guitar factories

What happened to the good old days when the guilty parties were targeted instead of everyone and when law enforcement were required to get warrants before they terrorized people?
...
More: http://www.independentsentinel.com/hey-look-were-russia-now-dea-raids-nfl-teams-calls-them-administrative/

[oyarde]

What is administrative? WTH .

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

What is administrative? WTH .

I notice a lot of things are called that. That piece of crap Rehnquist used the word in his majority opinion on roadblocks (Sitz versus Michigan). Some of these people need to have a good beating administered to them.

[tod evans]

Thank goodness there's a bumper opium crop this year!

Hopefully some of the old and infirm who need pain relief can get it via the black market.........

[NativeOne]

Artificial pain killers over time are known to interrupt the body's ability to heal itself (the immune system shut down) .. could this be the issue that is really in focus? Considering also the recent out breaks of disease's coming across our borders, along with anti-biotic resistant diseases as well???

Big Pharma is under attack .. they know how the wind is blowing and it doesn't look good for them in the near future. (sacrificing a finger to save a arm??)

[Lucille]

It seems that they are really cracking down on prescription drugs. I've heard stories from elderly patients with pain issues that Doctors can't even prescribe enough pain-killers anymore. They are somehow restricting Doctors and pharmacies. Supposedly there was a change in the past few months. They are limiting patients to two pills per day, which sometimes isn't enough for elderly arthritis patients.

But it's well worth it. I feel much safer knowing that old folks don't take too many pain-killers.

It's a war on sick people. My friend broke her back a few years ago in a boating accident, and her pain doctor is more focused on what the state allows than her needs. Even a pharmacist got in on it, and scolded her publicly over a refill. She has to do regular drug testing so they can see if she's taking anything outside of legal drugs (such as mj which helps her pain immensely). If she fails another one, they will no longer prescribe any pain meds for her.

[tod evans]

It's a war on sick people. My friend broke her back a few years ago in a boating accident, and her pain doctor is more focused on what the state allows than her needs. Even a pharmacist got in on it, and scolded her publicly over a refill. She has to do regular drug testing so they can see if she's taking anything outside of legal drugs (such as mj which helps her pain immensely). If she fails another one, they will no longer prescribe any pain meds for her.

This is so fucked up in so many different ways!

:mad:

[Brian4Liberty]

Some people don't eat healthy. We need DEA raids to ensure that nobody has more than one Twinkie per day.

[Occam's Banana]

It's a war on sick people. My friend broke her back a few years ago in a boating accident, and her pain doctor is more focused on what the state allows than her needs. Even a pharmacist got in on it, and scolded her publicly over a refill. She has to do regular drug testing so they can see if she's taking anything outside of legal drugs (such as mj which helps her pain immensely). If she fails another one, they will no longer prescribe any pain meds for her.

This is so fucked up in so many different ways!

:mad:

This particular frog has been in the pot for quite a while now.

Here's an excellent article on the issue by Jacob Sullum.

It was the Reason magazine cover story ... in 1997 ...

No Relief in Sight
Torture, despair, agony, and death are the symptoms of "opiophobia," a well-documented medical syndrome fed by fear, superstition, and the war on drugs. Doctors suffer the syndrome. Patients suffer the consequences.

http://reason.com/archives/1997/01/01/no-relief-in-sight

http://cloudfront-assets.reason.com/assets/db/03fd554189aa6ac51e86d94780ed2d4b.new.jpg

[tod evans]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Occam's Banana again.:o

[Henry Rogue]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Occam's Banana again.:o
Covered.

[Mani]

So the TSA is no longer stopping terrorists...But now doing searches which would be illegal otherwise...


What a brilliant way to completely piss on the 4th amendment....When someone has to travel you can have the TSA do all the illegal searching for you...Thus no need to ever get a warrant.


Oh wait...But the TSA keeps us safe. So it's all OK, let's get in line.

[devil21]

The team list is up to five. Add the Bengals and Lions. New info here:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/painkillers-probe-nfl-long-way-complete-001358023--nfl.html


''When someone from the government - even without a warrant - walks up and asks questions, they get answers and you can test those answers,'' said Steven Feldman, a former assistant U.S. Attorney for New York's southern district with considerable experience in narcotics prosecutions.

''They're either going to tell the truth or lie, and you can use either one in an investigation. Having worked with DEA investigators in the past, it's just one more step. My guess,'' he added, ''is that this one is a long way from being complete.''

[Occam's Banana]

''When someone from the government - even without a warrant - walks up and asks questions, they get answers and you can test those answers,'' said Steven Feldman, a former assistant U.S. Attorney for New York's southern district with considerable experience in narcotics prosecutions.

''They're either going to tell the truth or lie, and you can use either one in an investigation. Having worked with DEA investigators in the past, it's just one more step. My guess,'' he added, ''is that this one is a long way from being complete.''

IOW: Don't talk to Cops - and don't talk to Feds ...

[oyarde]

Some people don't eat healthy. We need DEA raids to ensure that nobody has more than one Twinkie per day.

I have not had one of those since the 6o,s , I guess ....

[fr33]

"No More!" prescription drugs. "No More!" its my body.

http://nomore.org/

[devil21]

Big distraction for NY while their chief "Too Big To Jail" prosecutor, Lynch, comes up for confirmation?

[HOLLYWOOD]

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the expansion of the DEA program earlier this week in a video posted on the Justice Department’s website during which he pointed out that nearly 40 percent of teenagers who abused prescription medication got them from family medicine cabinets.All these so-called "FORCE organizations created by FOR SALE politicians/government ALWAYS have to have a target to justify their existence(Budgets, Paychecks, Healthcare, Retirement, etc). When one target is taken away, they will find a new target, and that target is the American people.

Replace DEA with any of the other"weaponized freedom" totalitarians: DHS, FDA, ATF, BLM, IRS, EPA, USDI, USSS, CIA, FBI, US Marshalls, TSA, US Boarder Patrol, CPFB, DOJ, DOE, DOD, National Guard, CBP, ICE, BOP, DOC, TIGTA, DCIS, USDA, USCP, VA, TVA, on & on...

It’s war on folks... Boobus will just bend over and grab their ankles.

http://truthaboutguns-zippykid.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/189px-United_States_Library_of_Congress_Police.jpg

[donnay]

This quote comes to mind...


"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."
~ Gerald R. Ford

I would add: Including your dignity.

This is a double-edged sword--they keep you supped-up on these drugs-- then they take it away. Don't forget the death panels (http://www.infowars.com/obamacare-death-panels-were-always-on-the-agenda/) embedded into ObamaCare--which they emphatically denied. "If you're in so much pain, we will give you a pill to end it all."

[Brian4Liberty]

Local news has recently been running stories about "drugged" driving and accidents. Seems that someone has determine that going against the pharma complex is worthwhile. Of course in the end it's all about power, money and control.

[tod evans]

The state already tags "drugged drivers"...

3396

[donnay]

Local news has recently been running stories about "drugged" driving and accidents. Seems that someone has determine that going against the pharma complex is worthwhile. Of course in the end it's all about power, money and control.


I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Big pHARMa is involved in helping to go after people, like the Big Tobacco companies were for smoking bans and the Big Oil Companies are for global warming taxes. These guys are all in bed with Big Government. The achieved goal is total control.

[roho76]

I thought these drugs were FDA approved? What's the problem?