Tim Lincecum: Cy Young Winner, 2-time All Star, #1 strikeouts, #2 batting average, #2 ERA, cannabis user

(Clark County Columbian) Tim Lincecum, star pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and a two-time All Star, is facing charges of misdemeanor possession of marijuana after being stopped for speeding on Interstate 5 in Vancouver last week.

A Washington State Patrol motorcycle trooper working with a laser device timed a 2006 Mercedes-Benz doing 74 mph northbound in Hazel Dell near Northeast 78th Street at 8:23 a.m. Oct. 30, WSP trooper and spokesman Steve Schatzel said.

The speed limit there is 60 mph. The trooper pulled the Mercedes over. When the driver, Lincecum, rolled down his window, the trooper smelled marijuana. He asked Lincecum to hand it over, and Lincecum reached into his dashboard console and produced a small pouch and a pipe, Schatzel said.

The amount was 3.3 grams, Schatzel said, which is considered only enough for personal use. Lincecum did not appear to be impaired behind the wheel and is not being charged with a felony crime, Schatzel said.

Another top athlete who is playing in his prime and is a current marijuana consumer.  I don’t follow majorly boring ball, but even I can tell you that winning the 2008 Cy Young Award means this guy is one of the best.  His stats show that over the last two years, Lincecum ranks 1st or 2nd in the National League for strikeouts, ERA, and batting average; and ranks 2nd to 4th in wins and innings pitched.

Washington places felony possession at 40 grams, so he doesn’t face much of a punishment when he’s arraigned this Monday, November 23rd, in Clark County District Court right across the river from me in Vancouver, Washington.  I’ll be there getting audio for the Stash and I’m encouraging any supporters in the Vancouver area to join me.  I have ideas for big picket signs reading “Another Successful Cannabis Consumer” over the huge blowup pics of Michael Phelps, Santonio Holmes, and other high profile athletes who’ve recently been busted for weed.

As I follow the coverage of the incident, one theme that repeats is that he won’t be punished much by the law or by baseball, but that “The hit to his reputation will be worse than the penalties“. Why must that be the case?  Lincecum is just one of 22 million adults who will enjoy cannabis this year and still manage to have a productive and remarkable life.  He plays just one of many sports that are saturated with support and advertising from a drug that kills tens of thousands and leads to violence, yet we’re supposed to look down on him for relaxing with a joint?