Former NFL lineman Marvin Washington says there’s one thing that the league hasn’t warmed up to in the fight against concussions that could be a game-changer – marijuana.
“There’s a compound in marijuana called cannabidiol (CBD), which has shown scientific potential to be an antioxidant and neuroprotectant for the brain. In layman’s terms, there’s a possibility that CBD can work as a sort of ‘helmet for the brain,’ Washington wrote in The Players Tribune.
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“There are a lot of very smart people who think that there’s a chance that medical marijuana might be the key to potentially preventing CTE. For this reason alone, the NFL should be doing all that it can to make to push this research to the forefront.”
If true, the NFL should absolutely think about embracing marijuana to potentially help their players protect themselves. Additionally, changing the way the league treats marijuana might help keep some of its star players on the field. Former Heisman winning running back Ricky Williams famously left the NFL for a period of time because he couldn’t smoke marijuana, and suspended Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been repeatedly in trouble. His year-long suspension in 2015 was alcohol-related, but his stay in the NFL’s substance-abuse program was extended because of a positive marijuana test.
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Making it easier on NFL players by lessening punishments on them for using an illegal drug is unlikely to be a selling point for the NFL, but it is undoubtedly a fringe benefit. It’s one they simply must weigh if its proven it can effectively fight concussions.
“How serious is this development? Well, the U.S. f”ederal government has patented the technology, and researching the potential for using cannabinoids as a treatment for CTE,” Washington wrote.
Dr. Bennet Omalu, the man portrayed by Will Smith in the upcoming film “Concussion,” is among the many scientists who have worked with KannaLife Sciences, the organization developing CBD.
The NFL could be improving very soon, both in player safety, and keeping players off the suspended list.
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