Should the NFL Really Care if Players use Medical Marijuana?

Would it Matter if the NFL Accepts the usage of Cannabis for Pain?

nfl and medical marijuana

Lately you might have read headlines suggesting that the NFL might be interested in allowing alternative pain killers other than the traditional opioids players have had to rely on since forever. Even though the headlines seem that this is a decision that would come in the near future, the reality of the situation is that the NFL will now only begin to research alternatives.

This means they would have to still set up the research committee, conduct several months or even years of research on different alternatives, to finally make a recommendation. This recommendation would have to be considered, debated, amended, buried under ground for a few months to ferment, and then ultimately revised.

Upon which the decision to allow Players to use these alternatives to treat their ailments would probably have to go through another bureaucratic pipeline until eventually it becomes accepted.

In all likeliness, the US government will beat the NFL to making that decision. And that, is saying a lot.

But the real question here is, is the NFL accepting cannabis as a permitted alternative significant? What impact would it have not only on the game, the players, but the global narrative of society itself? This is where things get interesting.

The Cultural Significance of the NFL

I personally couldn’t care any less about the NLF. I have never really been that “into” organized sports. I much rather prefer going for a hike, mountain climbing, surfing or anything of the sorts.

Nonetheless, there are millions upon millions of people who eat, breathe and sleep football. You know, those folks who get all dressed up to watch other sweaty dudes hurl around the old “pig skin” to gain some yards put some points on a scoreboard.

Some of those are frantically obsessed with the game. The real question we should be asking is, what is the impact of cannabis persistence in the NFL relating to “those folk”.

For those who aren’t entirely bought into the idea of giant flesh machines colliding with each other for points, the decision seems logical. At the very least we can empathize with the players and their injuries. They shouldn’t be forced to take opioids if cannabis is a better alternative.

And there’s a lot of science behind cannabis too, from preventing brain damage, to quicker recovery to its safety profile over the use of opioids.

But it’s the fans that are on the fence about cannabis legalization and cannabis as a medicine, that are the ones who would receive the greatest impact on the NFLs decision. If their sports heroes are using cannabis to heal themselves and to maintain their health, it will translate into the general public.

This means that more people will get behind the idea of national legalization, medical cannabis and will push the inevitability of the industry at a much quicker pace.

In other words, if the NFL green lights cannabis, it’s a good thing. For the players, for the game and for the nation.

But what if the NFL says no?

That would become irrelevant news. Every day there are thousands of articles, news pieces and videos coming out to stifle the progression of cannabis legalization. They have all failed in their attempts to derail the movement.

The proverbial cat is out of the bag in regards to marijuana. Pop culture has declared it the “next norm” as we see it ever so frequently appear on popular TV shows, songs and more celebrities endorsing the plant than ever before.

The fact of the matter, the headlines that the “NFL is thinking about accepting cannabis” has far more impact than an official decree against the use of the substance within the sport. People are already making connections in their minds, they are already drawing conclusions.

The acceptance of cannabis gains in popularity every single year. Last time I checked nearly seven in ten people in the United States were in favor of legalization. These days, people can’t agree on many things. They bicker and shout for attention, but when it comes to weed…most folks agree…it’s time to legalize.

The NFL’s Dance with Cannabis

The NFL has long been toying with the idea of cannabis. At least for the players, the idea of cannabis is very welcoming. We have seen many prominent players step forth and talk about using cannabis to help with injuries.

We have seen this trend in other sports too such as the UFC and similar high-impact sports. It makes sense. Cannabis not only helps with pain and inflammation, it helps speed up recovery times and diminishes the impact of brain injuries. Why wouldn’t we give these athletes access to cannabis?

One could argue, to withhold cannabis from high-impact athletes while enjoying the entertainment of the competition should be the real issue to be discussed. One thing is certain, the fans, are the ones with the real power. If they demand it, the NFL overlords would eventually have to submit to the will of their followers.