That 'wrong crowd' is a huge crowd. I don't take recreational drugs, but I have a long time ago, and so have the majority of people I know, in fact I've never met anyone under the age of 35 who hasn't. To be frank, recreational drug use is rife particularly among young people, and students.
As for anti-doping as a whole, I've long been of the opinion that it's a small minority of 'cheats', but it is common place and is actually encouraged in elite level sport. I think that we just get the odd high profile example hung out to dry to try and project the illusion that the anti-doping organisations are 'winning', when the truth is they're not even trying.

The statement "it is rife in society particularly in men aged 18-40" implies that recreational drug use happens on a frequent basis in that demographic. A student having a spliff I would not count as "rife".

It was a sweeping statement which was opinion based rather then fact based. I am aware of a few who do regularly take recreational drugs, but these are by far and away a minority.

Disagree strongly on this .It's happening in the local pubs but even more in town on weekends etc.Nothing to do with dark issues or hangs around with wrong crowd it's sadly just the way it is.

Disagree strongly on this .It's happening in the local pubs but even more in town on weekends etc.Nothing to do with dark issues or hangs around with wrong crowd it's sadly just the way it is.

Not saying it doesnt happen, but to suggest its rife, implying its the majority of the 18-40 male population is, IMO wide of the mark.

It is rife and always has been when I first started going out drinking in 88 as a 16 year old you could guarantee fighting in most pubs then in the next couple of years with the rave scene all the fighting stopped because virtually everyone was taking ecstasy then as that scene died off coke took over and has been here ever since ,out of a group of say ten of my core friends who I've known since school and we still go out albeit not as much I can say there is only one of us who has never taken drugs to me it's something we did and grew out of

What a sensible post

This cocaine/drugs issue is way beyond sport and is alive and kicking on our streets and on an everyday basis

IMO and in my experience only, it is simply a yes or no decision as to whether you want coke on a night out or not as it is freely available wherever you are

I'm at the back end of that age demographic and I'd say recreational drug use being rife is a fair enough description and has been for at least the last 20 years in my own experience.

Take society out of it - recreational drugs are absolutely rife in the rugby league playing community.
I play in the NCL - in my current team, with a squad of about 25 players, there are only 3 that I know do not touch drugs (I'm one of them), there's then about 5 or 6 that are older/married who aren't at it every weekend, but the rest are at it every Saturday in the clubhouse without fail. Naturally I've got mates at quite a few other amateur teams, and it's the same everywhere - it's not even hidden anymore, it's openly handed around and talked about - it's now unfortunately part of the scene.
And whilst the '6 out of 10' quote looks silly with how it's been claimed, I'd say that could even be understated from what I've seen over the years. Rugby League is a small community, the professional lads tend to still stay close to their amateur clubs/mates, the ones from West Yorkshire certainly still do - and it's rife, the attitude from the professional players is not too dissimilar to that of he amateurs - it's common knowledge and openly discussed - they all share the same dealers (most of whom are within the game). The fact that clubs have nutritionists who actively work with players to flush their systems says it all!
It should also be added that Sterioids and other performance enhancers are also rife. In our pack, including 3 subs, all but 2 of us are on steroids (some of the backs are at it too, but it's more the big lads). And then if you came in the changing rooms before kick off, you'll see all but 2 or 3 players taking effers or T5's.... again, that's rife at every amateur team... and I'm sure there will be an equivelamt happening in every super league changing room, it's just the substance will be different (weaker) and not on WADA...

I'm sure there'll be other lads on here who play amateur and/or socialise with professional players - be interesting to see what their thoughts are...

The coke as a social issue can be argued over elsewhere because flagging it up on non match day sample brings up privacy issues and such.

Testing positive on a match day sample is cheating as its a stimulant and so a performance enhancer (as are industrial quantities of caffeine BTW - far more than a few cuppas worth). That's why its on the WADA list. Chase and Walker are grade A idiots for being caught as they were and deserve everything that gets thrown at them. First weekend of the play offs and these 2 clowns are hogging the headlines and the expense of some decent performances.

Me and you are of a very similar age, and no doubt went out to the same places in our youth (Shire, Cheese, Bass House, Oasis, Henry's, LA's etc). I remember the rave scene coming on, as you say, an increased number were taking something or other.

Its not a situation of if someone has taken drugs once or even a few times. To suggest its rife suggested it was happening more often than not by 18-40 year old males.

We probably all know people who either do or have taken drugs, but I think there is an over egging of the cake on this.

Anyway, we, or even I have derailed this thread on player welfare. I do apologies, it must be time for my fix

I'm glad somebody said it. It's rife at NCL level and all levels of the game. Again I've seen it first hand at clubs I have played at and I've seen the effects it can have on players. The pre-workout is also as you say used very often, although I see this more at higher level amateur than the level I am currently playing at. Can't comment on the steroid usage as I just don't know but I remember playing away a couple of years back at a team in Lancashire area with a big rugby culture and one of their lads clearly had been on some for of steroid and ended up having roid-rage on the pitch causing a fight over nothing with our prop.

Totally clueless and inept post with no understanding of the issue or what I said. 0/10.
Caffeine at certain levels is a flag in drugs testing, if you don't know why go bother yourself to do some research. However it's great that you are comparing it with cocaain, as it highlights your inability to make any sense.
And even better you make a comparison regarding something clubs/RFL/UKAD have no control over and is out of their remit to control. But according to you a player having a KODI box is the same/comparable to taking cocaine/amphet or having high levels of caffiene even, just lol! Well done on making an ass of yourself!

In the past I have taken Cocaine to my shame. While it does appear to give you extra energy I couldn't imagine trying to play rugby at professional level while on it. When you take it just on a recreational level it increases your heart rate to uncomfortable levels. I can imagine taking it while playing Rugby League at the highest level would cause massive exertion on your heart. If you were to take it the night before a game it would probably be a hindrance, imagine the worst hangover you've had multiplied by ten.