Additional Changes are needed

[olly]

Further to the post by The Observer calling for changes I would like to add something to the debate.

I attended a recent high profile Indoor tournament in the UK. We were playing the afternoon session on the saturday. There seemed to be quite a few non paintball spectators present which should be great for both the sport not to mention that particular event.

Walking out of the playing area I discovered 4 paintballers who must have played the morning session, smoking some "funny smelling" cigarettes. I continue walking to see a 12 -13 year old boy dragging his father in to watch some games and talking excitedly about paintball.

It will be the last tournament he ever attends! The smell was obvious and the father stared at the paintballers as he walked past.

Each to there own and if people want to smoke great but come on guys, Our sport is on the verge of something big, everyone knows there is an element in paintball that likes the weed and it is smoked openly, but how would it have looked in the papers if the police had been called. "Drug raid at international PAINTBALL tournament". A bit of common sense needs to be applied, the main entrance to tourney where spectators can see and smell what you are up to is perhaps not the best place.

Lets get our sport where it belongs and leave the weed to "hotel rooms" or anywhere away from the spectating public........

 

[JoseDominguez]

Yup, too true, there's a lot of it about, only a matter of time before someone gets caught. It's getting to the point where the fields we play at are getting noticed, payers need to realise that we aren't in the middle of nowhere anymore and the general public are starting to show up.

 

[Tyger]

But, we ALL know that there's no recreational drug use in paintball!

Really.

Honestly.

I mean it.

Hang on, lemme go get my waders on, it's getting kinda deep here.

Honestly, IMHO, it's out there. If somoene's smokin' the "Wacky Weed" AT an event, that's unacceptable. What you do in your hotel room / home is your buisness. Don't make me deal wiht your addiction.

Rec players aren't much better. You haven't lived 'till you see a group of guys sucking down beers, grabbing their goggles and going out to play. **sigh** Then they wonder why nobody takes paintball seriously as a sport...

-Tyger

 

[Dark Warrior]

If the organisers stood about and let people smoke any non tobacco substance in a tourney the that is an utter disgrace. Anyone who plays paintball under the influence of Alcohol or recreational drug should be immediately ejected from the ejected from the site. Not only are the a danger to themselves they are a serious danger to other players, marshalls and spectators.
Please note it won't be a police raid that does it, it will be someone getting hurt because he was next to some one filling his gas bottle from his dive tank and the bottle blew. Both were taken to hospital with severe injuries. Doctor discovered the person filling their bottle had recently been "smoking" and there was enough drugs in his system to impair his judgement.
In the wrong hands a paintgun and ancillary equipment can be lethal. Leave your fix at home or at least 'til the end of the play.

 

[Parksy]

Completely agree with the comments above. Imagine how peeved that kid will be now if his dad is now associating paintballing with drug use....

Don't get me wrong, like other people have said each to there own and all that... but how you ever going to get the profile of paintball increased to where we would all lkie to see it if people can't use a bit of common sense

It is all too easy for the media to overlook the positive things in paintball.... like exercise, sportsmanship, team work etc etc... but you know what there like, slightest downside to something and they will be all over it like a rash...

As goes for most things which are fun to do... it is always the very small minority of people involved in it who do something dumb to spoil it for us all...

Just my two pennys worth

Dave

 

[pat]

Personely ..........I Blame Asa Baker

 

[onutaka]

you guys are right, drug use should just be reported to the police if a marshall finds someone doing it. ban should also be brought into play, or if you're felling nasty, ring their sponsor to tell them what the paintballer is doing with their logo emblazoned on his jersey!!

come on guys, it may be fun, but leave the wacky baccy at home, or even better, in the bin!!!