"Certainly, the research about marijuana and really more particularly cannabinoid compounds as they may relate to the treatment of both acute and chronic pain, that is an area of research that we need a lot more information on and we need to further develop," Allen Sills, a Vanderbilt University neurosurgeon and the NFL's new chief medical officer told the Washington Post. "These really aren't just football issues. These are society issues, right? We know right now that as a society that the treatment of both acute and chronic pain is a huge public health problem."
The NFL Players Association has been conducting its own study on marijuana since last year, but it wasn't clear if the league would support such efforts. In July, the league sent the NFLPA a letter offering to work with the players' union. Currently, NFL players are subject to disciplinary measures, including suspension, if they test positive for marijuana.
"People have been taking marijuana for pain relief for hundreds of years," said Adam Bierman, co-founder and chief executive of cannabis management and investment firm MedMen who predicted last year that a major sports league would approve cannabis use. "Millions of people today use it for pain relief. It is only fair that professional athletes who depend on their bodies to make a living have access to this safe alternative."
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