Michael Conroy / AP

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech runs the 40-yard dash during workouts at the NFL combine in February. During confidential interviews with NFL teams, Johnson reportedly admitted to marijuana use. For no good reason, that information was leaked, writes MSNBC.com contributer Mike Celizic.

If you’re going to smear a player in public, you should have the onions to put your name behind it. This isn’t about pointing up a potential problem; every team in the league has access to the confidential interview, so they’re not hearing anything they don’t already know. The only reason to do this is ignorance about marijuana and sheer viciousness.

I wouldn’t worry about these players getting stoned once they’re in the league. They’re well aware of what happened to Ricky Williams. He was suspended for an entire year for taking a supplement containing a banned substance after two previous positive tests for marijuana.

Clearly, smoking marijuana — which a lot of NFL executives did themselves while they were in college — is a horrible thing, even though no NFL player to my knowledge has ever done anything incredibly stupid and illegal while high.

Just look at the penalty levied on Williams and that imposed on Pacman Jones. The latter was just suspended for a year for having been arrested five times in a year and being called in for police questioning 10 times.

Unlike Williams, who had no opportunity to get time off his sentence for good behavior, Jones could be readmitted after 10 games if he shows that he’s a changed man.

That apparently makes sense to the NFL, but it shouldn’t anywhere else.

I’ve written before about how absurd it is to treat marijuana the same as smoking crack or using steroids. The Olympics haven’t banned marijuana because it’s not a performance-enhancing drug. We’ve heard plenty of stories about athletes who’ve played drunk and high on coke and even doing acid. But you’ve never heard about anyone throwing a no-hitter or hitting a grand slam while stoned.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

I know the argument: marijuana is illegal and alcohol isn’t. And I agree that’s a good reason to stay away from it, especially if you have a real job and want to keep it. It may not cause problems in college, where it’s still popular. And it may not be dangerous. But it’s illegal.

Some day, it will be legalized — or at least decriminalized. More and more states are moving in that direction, and eventually the federal government will get the hint.

And some day, people won’t be anonymously smeared for the crime of being honest.

More news

NBC Sports

Looking over his shoulder

  SportsTalk: Is Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez concerned about being benched for Tim Tebow? It's possible.

PFT: Sanchez, Tebow stress competition

Headlines

• Label

PFT: Gregg Williams tape may hinder 'Hard Knocks'

PFT Live: Cardinals' DB Campbell is excited

PFT: Polamalu thinks kids should play football

PFT: Vanderjagt attacks kid for 'wide left' taunt?

PFT: Charlie Sheen says he didn't buy LT's ring

PFT Live: Is Cowboys' title window closing?

PFT: Vikings stadium deal official on narrow vote

Saints' defense learning Spagnuolo's way