NEW YORK -- New York Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn criticized the NFL for treating first-time ephedra offenders more harshly than players caught using cocaine, the Daily News reported.

	Sehorn

Sehorn, who said Wednesday that he used ephedra daily until last spring, is upset that players testing positive for the over-the-counter stimulant receive four-game suspensions, while a positive first test for cocaine or marijuana results only in placement in the NFL's drug treatment program.

"You want to snort some cocaine, get yourself high, get caught, now you go in a program," he said. "They put you in a drug program to try to help you, which is good, but you can keep on playing."

The NFL began year-round random testing for ephedra in July. It is the first U.S. pro sports league to ban ephedrine, a substance often found in strength-building food supplements and that can cause seizures, strokes and even death.

Sehorn also pointed to legal drugs provided by team doctors.

"The anti-inflammatories, they pump us full of (pills), twice a day, just to get you on the field," he said. "They'll give you a shot in your (butt) right before a game. They'll give you a shot of cortisone before a game. They will shoot you up with anything.

"But you want to take some ephedra that is sold over the counter, that is legal, that they're trying to say could kill you ... because somebody died somewhere?

"If you want to do us some favors, why don't you do some serious testing on the stuff everybody in the league takes and is prescribed by doctors.

"Last year, they are draining my knee every single game to play, they are giving me shots and all this other stuff in my knee so I don't feel any pain. That's OK to get you on the field. But if I just want to take ephedrine, no, you're gone for four games immediately."