Possible reason for recent WWE drug-related suspensions

Very interesting....

According to a very informative report by Pro Wrestling Torch, there could be a reason why WWE superstars not named Andy Leavine are failing their Wellness Policy tests.

Via PWTorch.com:

According to recent online reports, WWE's recent Wellness Policy suspensions (Darren Young, Heath Slater, and WWE Tag Team Champion Evan Bourne) could be related to positive tests for synthetic marijuana. WWE has an item in the Wellness Policy indicating a positive test for "Synthetic Cannabinoids" will result in a Wellness violation. Whereas, a positive test for marijuana results in a $2,500 fine.

The violation reads: "Synthetic cannabinoids, most commonly referred to as 'Spice,' or 'K2,' are chemically engineered substances, similar to THC - the active ingredient in marijuana - that, when smoked or ingested, can produce pharmacological effects similar to marijuana.

Regardless of whether there is a prescription, the use of synthetic cannabinoids will be considered a non-medical use for purposes of this Policy. The use of synthetic cannabinoids is therefore prohibited and subject to the penalties set forth in Section 15 A of the Policy.

Maybe this is just my straight edge, non-drug using personality coming out here, but doing drugs, particularly illegal ones, is stupid when you work for a publicly traded company. It's one thing if WWE is a private company and not a wrestling promotion, which already has a negative stigma attached to it.

But it's 2011 and the fact is, there is still bad stigma attached to wrestling and the industry's relationship with drugs. WWE has done a good job to counter this stigma, but employing Mason F'N Ryan shows that old habits die hard--on the management and wrestler sides of the coin.