The National Football League, along with the NFL Players Association, announced it will provide $1 million to fund research into pain management that includes using medical marijuana.
It marks the next step by the league in its shift on players using medical marijuana, NFL.com reported in a piece published Tuesday. Before the collective bargaining agreement was approved a year ago, players in the league would be suspended if they tested positive for marijuana multiple times. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
NFL, NFLPA will provide funding for research into pain treatment, including medical marijuana (per @judybattista)https://t.co/nK8VEnRkLx
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 8, 2021
Many of the players have argued that using it was safer for them to treat their pain than prescription medication. (RELATED: NFL Players Reveal They Battle Depression And Anxiety, Offer Tips To Those Struggling)
The NFL’s funding will dive into just how safe cannabis and CBD are and if they work, specifically as an alternative to using opioids.
“There is a need for better information, better science,” Dr. Kevin Hill, the co-chair of the pain management committee, director of addiction psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the author of “Marijuana: The Unbiased Truth about the World’s Most Popular Weed.”
“When we talk about having elite athletes use CBD to treat pain, we want to make sure it’s, No. 1 safe, and No. 2 efficacious. I don’t think we’re at that point yet,” he added.
A total of five grants are expected to be awarded later this year.