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We need to address drug problem - Cann

If we really want to increase the number of players available for the national team and get guys into training, we need to do something about the drug problem in this country

Lionel Cann
07-Jun-2008
If we really want to increase the number of players available for the national team and get guys into training, we need to do something about the drug problem in this country.
We've heard more talk this week about the number of players not turning out for the national squad and as someone who has been around cricket my whole life I can tell you the biggest problem is marijuana. If we could stop people smoking weed we would have triple the amount of players available.
It's a serious social issue and it's something we really need to address. If you can't give up marijuana to play for your country and reach the pinnacle of your sport then you have a serious, serious problem.
I know for a fact that there are a lot of players who won't give up weed to play for their country. It's crazy. Kids as young as 13 and 14 are getting hooked on it.
If we invested money into educating people and stopping the country's marijuana problem it would do more for sport than anything. We've had this problem for years and we have turned a blind eye to it but we can't turn a blind eye any more because it's right there in front of us every day.
Every football match you go to, every cricket game you go to, you have the scent of marijuana.
You can't hide from it because it's everywhere you go.
This article first appeared in The Bermuda Sun