

When recreational marijuana use becomes legal Wednesday, it's easy to see that high school athletes will be exposed to cannabis more than ever.

The law will allow adults 21 and older to buy marijuana at state-sanctioned retail stores. With more societal acceptance of marijuana use, it's a natural assumption that high school athletes will be influenced. That concerns longtime football coach Dave Logan, now at Cherry Creek.

"For years, whether it's drinking, or now with the pot being legalized, it trickles down, unfortunately, to ninth-, 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders," Logan said. "Unfortunately, now days, you see too often that a young guy might not have the same rules when he leaves school. So it's incumbent on us as high school coaches and mentors to not take the easy road on this and just give in."

Last week federal drug abuse officials released results of a national survey that found marijuana legalization efforts are changing teenagers' attitudes about cannabis.







Marijuana is on the NCAA's list of banned substances.

"It could make coaches worry," Dreessen said. "That's one of the deterrents to keep you away from doing something like that — the fact that it's illegal. Now you're talking about strictly the self-discipline of athletes to not smoke or using any drug, because it's not helpful to me as an athlete.

"It used to be: a) it was illegal, and b) it's bad for you as an athlete. Now, it's just bad for you as an athlete."

Logan said he believes kids still follow the lead of high-profile athletes, and worries that marijuana use by professional athletes will influence high school students. And, high school athletes don't have to worry about being tested for drugs.

"When you stop and think about it, these are 14-, 15-, 16- and 17-year-old kids that are really impressionable," Logan said. "And what they learn now in terms of right and wrong and making decisions that have consequences will guide them for the rest of their lives.


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Staff writer Benjamin Hochman contributed to this report.