The number of players being forced to sit out four games for ephedrine supplement violations is starting to worry the NFL Players Association, which has told ESPN's Chris Mortensen they plan to address this problem with the league.

The NFLPA isn't disputing that ephedrine is banned. What it hopes to do, according to NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, is discuss changing the automatic four-game suspension currently handed out for the abuse of the league's steroid policy.

Ideally, the NFLPA would prefer some manner of reduced discipline specifically for ephedrine.

Last spring, the NFL became the first U.S. sports league to ban ephedrine, a substance that also often is found in strength-building food supplements and can cause seizures, strokes or even death.