May 23, 2019 - Sports

NFL to study weed as pain management tool

Kendall Baker

CBD cream — CBD hemp oil treatment. Photo: Adam Berry/Getty Images

Earlier this week, the NFL finally took its first step toward treating marijuana as a pain management tool, rather than a suspension-worthy drug.

Driving the news: The NFL and the NFL Players Association have formed two committees to review the league's use of prescription pain relievers while also researching marijuana and other "alternative therapies."

What they're saying: Recently retired defensive lineman Chris Long discussed his marijuana use during his NFL career on the "Dan Patrick Show" yesterday.

"I certainly enjoyed my fair share on a regular basis through my career. ... If not for [marijuana], I'm not as capable of coping with the stresses of day-to-day NFL life."
"We should be headed to a place where we allow players to enjoy what I would not even call a drug. ... We wag our finger when we hear about a guy getting in a fight or getting a DUI. You're never going to read about him sitting on the couch and binge-watching 'Game of Thrones' again."

Go deeper: Where every major sports league stands on weed

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NFL to study weed as pain management tool

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