NFL commissioner Roger Goodell took a strong stance against marijuana on ESPN Radio earlier today. Goodell described marijuana as “addictive” and claimed “it may not be healthy for the players long-term”.
Goodell’s comments were made during an interview with ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning on Friday, April 28.
His comments aren’t exactly surprising: they’re consistent with Goodell’s previous comments on marijuana. However, they’re sure to ignite controversy due to the recent federal lawsuit against the NFL. In this latest lawsuit, 1,800 former players claim they suffered long-term health problems due to “improper and deceptive prescription drug-distribution practices by NFL teams.”
Essentially, the lawsuit alleges that the NFL made painkillers freely available to NFL players at increasingly large dosages.
Advocates claim that the NFL should have used alternative substances like marijuana as a healthier way to manage pain than prescription painkillers.
When asked if marijuana was a good alternative to prescription painkillers, Goodell repeated advice from “independent medical advisors” who do not recommend marijuana for medical use:
“Listen, you're ingesting smoke, so that's not usually a very positive thing that people would say. It does have addictive nature. There are a lot of compounds in marijuana that may not be healthy for the players long-term.”
Goodell Insists They Continue to Study the Use of Marijuana
Goodell didn’t totally discount the use of marijuana as a painkiller in the future. In fact, he claims the NFL has been studying marijuana for that purpose:
“We've been studying that through our advisers. To date, they haven't said, ‘This is a change we think you should make that is in the best interest of the health and safety of our players.' If they do, we're certainly going to consider that. But to date, they haven't really said that.”
On the future use of marijuana as a painkiller, Goodell maintained that he would wait for independent medical experts to come forward:
“Medical marijuana is something that is evolving, and that's something that at some point the medical advisers may come to us and say, ‘This is something you should consider.'”
More than Half of the US Has Legalized Medical Marijuana
Some see Goodell’s comments as a progressive stance towards marijuana – or at least an openness to consider marijuana in the future.
Others, however, point to the fact that 29 states (plus DC) have legalized the use of medical marijuana, with an additional seven states allowing for recreational use.
Nevertheless, the NFL stills bans and disciplines its players for trace amounts of marijuana. Random tests are performed on NFL players. If the player has more than 35 nanograms per milliliter in their system, they face punishment.
Complicating matters further is the NFL’s “backwards stance” towards punishment, where you receive a longer suspension for marijuana than you do for knocking your fiancé unconscious in a public place.
NFL players regularly have to deal with pain. It’s part of playing a contact sport. Unfortunately for the NFL, athletes have only one real way to feel better after games: prescription painkillers.
Based on Roger Goodell’s latest comments, the NFL’s stance towards marijuana may change in the future – but it won’t happen quickly. – Source: ESPN.com