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<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Severe brain injuries have become a prominent scourge on the
\nNational Football League, devastating the lives of many former players after a
\ncareer full of physical punishment catches up to them. But as the league\u2019s drug
\npolicy currently stands, players can be punished for something that could end
\nup saving their lives \u2014 cannabis.<\/p>\n
The main threat looming over football players is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or \u201cCTE,\u201d a brain disorder which is the subject of the 2015 film \u201cConcussion\u201d starring Will Smith. CTE is\u00a0developed after enduring several concussions and smaller hits to the head, and has affected the lives of several of the game\u2019s biggest names, like Hall of Famers Junior Seau and Reggie White. CTE causes depression and dementia, and often eventually leads to death.<\/p>\n
A growing amount of both current and former players have rallied
\nbehind the use of medical marijuana to treat the sport\u2019s most pressing concern,
\nand with good reason. Many studies have proven the neuro-protective qualities
\nof cannabis can help to preserve, and even regenerate brain cells after
\ntraumatic injury.<\/p>\n
The number of players who advocate for medical marijuana use and research are now more than enough to field an ironman squad of 10 Pro-MMJ ballers, helping get out the message to commissioner Roger Goodell. Here\u2019s our picks for football\u2019s Pro-Pot Pro Bowl team.<\/p>\n Jim McMahon, QB<\/strong>: The Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the 1985 Chicago Bears found relief from cannabis after treating his diagnosed early onset dementia with the painkiller Percocet. McMahon told<\/a> the Chicago Tribune in 2016: \u201cThis medical marijuana has been a godsend.\u201d<\/p>\n Ricky Williams, RB<\/strong>: Williams is considered to be the first professional football player to strongly support the use of cannabis, even during his playing days. The former Pro Bowler now plans to open a marijuana-friendly gym franchise. Cannabis unlocks \u201cthe part of us that connects with something bigger,\u201d he says in \u201cRicky Williams Takes the High Road,\u201d a documentary<\/a> released by Sports Illustrated Films.<\/p>\n Randy Moss, WR<\/strong>: Single-season touchdown reception record-holder Moss and six-time Pro bowler said regarding medical marijuana: \u201cThe NFL just needs to loosen up the rules and let everybody live.\u201d<\/p>\n Nate Jackson, TE<\/strong>: The former Denver Broncos tight end credits the use of medical marijuana for keeping his brain healthy during his career. He formed the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition<\/a>, a group of former players that support the use of marijuana as medicine. \u201cIt kept my brain clean,\u201d Jackson said at a 2015 business conference. \u201cI feel like I exited the game with my mind intact.\u201d<\/p>\n Eugene Monroe, OL<\/strong>: Monroe has challenged all players and league officials to donate \u201cEven though my football career is over, I plan to continue to be a vocal advocate for medical marijuana research, particularly as it relates to CTE,\u201d Monroe wrote in his retirement announcement<\/a>. \u201cMore steps need to be taken to curb the overuse of opioids in NFL locker rooms, and I won\u2019t rest until something is done.\u201d<\/p>\n Derrick Morgan, LB<\/strong>: \u201cIn thinking of the benefits that will come from spreading the awareness and the knowledge about this substance, I think greatly outweighs any backlash or ramifications that might come about it,\u201d Morgan told Yahoo Global News<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s about not only us, but former players, future players and more so society as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard Marshall, DE<\/strong>: After spending over a decade abusing \u201cI think that CBD, because it is a non-THC component that is derived from marijuana, will definitely play into the hands of the NFL and its players,\u201d Marshall said in an interview<\/a> with Sports Illustrated.<\/p>\n Kyle Turley, OL<\/strong>: Turley says he has sustained well over 100 concussions throughout his eight-year career as an offensive lineman and credits the use of cannabis for ending his addiction to painkillers. Turley told<\/a> the Huffington Post in 2015: \u201cThere is no excuse for us to say we don\u2019t know enough anymore about [cannabis].\u201d<\/p>\n Chris Kluwe, K<\/strong>: Boo Williams: TE<\/strong>: Starting tight end for the New Orleans \u201c[Cannabis] is DeAndre Levy, LB<\/strong>: Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy joins Jake Plummer, QB (backup)<\/strong>: 2005 Broncos Pro Bowler Plummer uses CBD<\/a> daily and had some choice words for both the league and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who doesn\u2019t believe football causes CTE. Plummer told BSN Denver: \u201cShame on him for saying that, that billionaire asshole. It\u2019s the worst thing in the world for a guy like that to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Pete Carroll, Head Coach<\/strong>: Seattle Seahawks\u2019 Head Coach Mike Florio, Commentator<\/strong>: Sunday Night Football postgame commentator Florio announced his support for medical marijuana through his NBC Sports blog, Pro Football Talk<\/a>, writing, \u201cThe better approach would be for the league and the union to come to an agreement regarding the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n TELL US<\/strong>, who\u2019s your Originally published in Issue 22 of Cannabis Now. LEARN MORE<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The post Meet the NFL\u2019s Pro-MMJ Squad<\/a> appeared first on Cannabis Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Severe brain injuries have become a prominent scourge on the National Football League, devastating the lives of many former players after a career full of physical punishment catches up to them. But as the league\u2019s drug policy currently stands, players can be punished for something that could end up savingContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":36321,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1389,10448,50,10053,5166,85,533,53,139,2995,969,369],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36320"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/100"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36320"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36322,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36320\/revisions\/36322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/NFLMedicalMarijuanaRulesPlayerInjuriesCTE.jpg\")
\nmoney to cannabis research via Twitter, and got released by the cowardly Baltimore
\nRavens as a result. Monroe retired at 29,
\nfearful that years of punishment may have already taken its toll. We\u2019re moving
\nhim to Offensive Tackle.<\/p>\n
\nFormer Tennessee Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan is one of few active players
\nto come out and support cannabis research. We\u2019re having him play Center on our
\nsquad.<\/p>\n
\nquarterbacks as a feared defensive tackle, the ex-Giant Marshall now vocally
\nadvocates for the use of marijuana as an alternative to opioid painkillers.
\nThat makes him an Offensive Tackle for medical marijuana.<\/p>\n
\nAfter nine years in the league as a punt kicker, Kluwe uses cannabis to manage
\npain from four knee surgeries and is now one of 30 former players involved in a
\nstudy on pot\u2019s medical benefits.<\/p>\n
\nSaints Eddie Lee \u201cBoo\u201d Williams has joined Kluwe as
\none of the 30 former ball players to take part in a monumental cannabis study.<\/p>\n
\na far better option than the pills that get shoved at players,\u201d Williams told
\nthe Daily Beast in 2016.<\/p>\n
\nTitans\u2019 Derrick Morgan as the only active players that have spoken out for medical
\npot. That puts him at Guard.<\/p>\n
\nCarrol was the former Offensive Coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers who has
\nprobably been around cannabis \u2014 and endorsed medical cannabis research in 2014.<\/p>\n
\nfavorite cannabis-supporting athlete? <\/p>\n
\n
\nRead More: Meet the NFL\u2019s Pro-MMJ Squad<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"