Adderall and its popularity among players has been an issue in the NFL during recent years. In the last 20 months, more than a dozen players have been suspended for using Adderall or Ritalin, which are regularly prescribed for attention deficit disorder.
The drug even has been mentioned during the HGH testing talks between the NFL and the Players Association, with the league proposing to ease restrictions on Adderall use.
The Denver Post examined the use of Adderall in the NFL as well as other pro sports leagues.
The report reminded readers that many NFL players reportedly use Adderall as a cover-up for other drugs. That's because the NFL drug policy doesn't allow the league to say which drug caused a player to fail a test.
Many players still claim they didn't know Adderall was banned, said Denver Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard.
Yet Birch said he reminds players that ignorance is no excuse. All drugs must be checked by a team's medical personnel before they are ingested.
-- Bill Bradley, contributing editor