EON

On October 30, San Francisco Giants ace and Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum was cited for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The citation was issued during a routine traffic stop for speeding in Washington. Lincecum was released at the scene when it was determined that he was not impaired but was ordered to appear in court for arraignment on November 23.

Instead, on November 7, the prosecutor in the case recommended the charges be dropped and Lincecum agreed to a plea deal in which he will pay a $250 fine for possession of drug paraphernalia. Prosecutors for Clark County, where the offense occurred, have assured the public that this is a standard plea deal for first-time offenders and not a case of special treatment for a sports star.

Lincecum is just the latest in a long line of sports figures associated or charged with possession and use of marijuana, most recently including Michael Phelps and Randy Moss. This pattern of more open use and legislative debates about the drug may indicate that marijuana is quickly approaching cultural and legal acceptance in the United States.