Ben Cousins confused by strong pills * Jon Ralph
* Herald Sun
* July 07, 2010 THE bungled use of super-strength sleeping tablets has been identified as the cause of Ben Cousins' dramatic collapse.
Cousins has told the Richmond Football Club he simply took too many of the pills after becoming confused over the correct dosage.
The star released himself from Epworth Richmond - where he had been in intensive care on Monday - and promptly requested a drug test from the AFL to prove he was clean of illicit drugs.
The drama has raised further questions about rife legal drug use in the AFL, particularly caffeine and sleeping tablets.
Premier John Brumby expressed his concern that use of the drugs could send mixed messages.
"They're legal but it's not a good example to set, it's not ideal," he said.
But the AFL showed no inclination to change its policies.
Richmond hopes Monday's episode will be a wake-up call to Cousins, who must still be diligent despite his encouraging recovery from drug addiction.
It believes it was a worrying lapse from the former AFL wild child, who despite this week's controversy is optimistic about his health and recovery.
Cousins is believed to have been prescribed the super-strength tablets as part of his long-term recovery from drug problems, but they are not regular-issue sleeping pills such as Stilnox or temazepam.
Drug experts yesterday said the stronger tablets had a longer active effect.
The Brownlow medallist, who is expected to make a full recovery, was said to be upbeat yesterday and in good spirits, but more concerned about the publicity from the controversy than his health concerns.
Richmond head of football Craig Cameron said the collapse was caused by a "severe reaction to a prescribed sleeping medication".
But while confessed drug addict Cousins yesterday expressed his desire to play against Fremantle on Saturday night, he is considered unlikely to take the field.
The club yesterday said he would be "highly unlikely" to play after missing a compulsory Monday recovery session and training.
"He will want to play and he's been in good form, but the risk is too high," a club insider said.
Richmond players have a scheduled day off today, with Cousins expected to train fully on Thursday.
Cousins' intensive drug testing regime of three AFL tests a week continues, with officials from Dorovitch Pathology doing a urine test.
Cousins asked to be tested to ensure the wild rumours that continually swirl around him were quashed.
The Herald Sun believes Cousins' hospital toxicology tests came back negative for any illegal substances, however it is up to the footballer to disclose any of the results to his football club.
While the club was told by those close to Cousins he had drunk several glasses of red wine, by Monday morning there was no trace of them in his system.
Cousins confidante Gerard Healy said on Melbourne radio the 32-year-old had sworn off alcohol recently.
"When I rang him this morning hoping he had come through his ordeal overnight, I was even more delighted to know he hadn't been drinking," he said.
"It was his decision about four to six weeks ago to get off the juice (alcohol) that ultimately helped his form spin around."
Cousins' girlfriend, Maylea Tinecheff, left the couple's Elsternwick home and spent three hours visiting her partner of about 18 months before leaving alone.
She later returned to their home and left carrying bags and clothes.
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