As some other people have correctly identified in this thread, the real problem behind this whole issue can pretty much be summed up from this one quotation from Andrew Johns on The Footy Show tonight. In response to a question Phil Gould asked in regards to what inspired Joey to take the chance, even with a multitude of sponsorships, money etc. on the line, Joey said:
"To me, the problem was alcohol. I would never intentionally go to take drugs, but then I'd have 6 to 8 beers and then just wouldn't care."
So, whilst 99% of the interview was focused on the drug issues, this quote got overlooked in the whole interview. I think it is a well known fact to those within the inner echelons of Newcastle that Joey did have problems with alcohol (I've heard many incidents and encounters from people about drunken rage-fulled incidents involving Johns).
So, whilst I think it is appropriate that issues involving illicit drugs need to be addressed in rugby league, a bigger issue in the sport (and also Australia on an overall) is alcohol. But, alcohol problems (most of the time) get swept under the carpet. Why? Because in Australia, it is deemed to be socially acceptable to drink and sometimes, if you get drunk, there's no problem with it (you are supposedly "one of the boys. Also, there is no limit as to how much you can drink once you're 18 years old, and even then, people under 18 years old don't even care at all, despite all the health education programs that are being implemented or have been implemented in schools). Advertisers and co. are virtually training the youth of today to become a 'drinking culture'. Tv ads and shows bombard and promote this sort of image, like its the hippest thing. These days, majority of people condemn cigarette smoking, but as has been mentioned earlier in other posts, alcohol causes more extensive damage (health problems, relationship problems, friendship problems, strains on the healthcare system, problems within the community, problems at work. I mean, majority of people on these forums will at least know one person, personally, who falls under one of these categories). This has been a problem in Australia for a long time, and only as of recent politicans have started to talk about it being a problem (especially in the youth), when this had been around for a long time. But, of course, the government will be reluctant to do anything about it, whilst they still rake in tax from these commodities.
To Andrew's credit, I admire the fact that he came clean on the issue. Whether he would've or not, had he not been caught, is a matter of speculation. The hardest part with addictions is to admit you have the problem. I'm glad he did that with the drugs. However, I'd like to see him focus more on improving the alcohol issues, as that may go a long way in preventing the repercussions that are likely to follow.
