The Battle Between Players and the League for Safer Pain Relief
Author Note: Research is done for the benefit citizens and the State of South Carolina
Introduction
This report is written at the request of the commission to understand the values and benefits as well as the struggles that are seen inside the NFL by the players as they try to use medical marijuana for medical reasons for their ailments. As the writer, I will gather information on both sides of the argument to see why medical marijuana is not allowed and why the players so value it. By the end of this report, I will prove the argument for medical marijuana in the NFL just as it is needed by every day citizens elsewhere.
NFL and Medical Marijuana:
The Battle Between Players and the League for Safer Pain Relief
In the National Football League, it has been long known that all performance enhancing drugs are banned and if you are caught using them then you will be subject to the drug policy in place that will lead to suspension and/or termination of your contract as negotiated between the owners and the NFLPA or the Players Association at the last contract signing. But where did that leave marijuana which is neither a performance enhancing drug nor a body numbing drug to make a player play through pain to continue during a game when they should not be able to play. It is a banned substance as a recreational drug and if you do not violate the substance abuse policy, you will be tested for marijuana once a year randomly between the months of April and August during the NFL’s off-season per your player’s contract agreement.
