Sports and Marijuana go a long way back, however, in the case of the National Football League, it remains complicated. A while ago, the NFL had adopted a serious anti-marijuana policy and was acting upon it quite strongly. However, soon enough things became clearer as to why these football players need marijuana.
Football is a rough game in which players are at constant risk of causing serious injuries to themselves. They need marijuana to keep going in the game as a pain reliever.
The NFL policy for Marijuana
Players randomly are asked to provide a urine sample which is then tested for any positive test results recent marijuana use. If a test comes out positive for marijuana for the first time of a player, the player is to attend a substance abuse program as a punishment, but they do not get banned.
A second positive test result for marijuana of the same person means that the player gets a two-game fine. For a third time positive test results, players are to get a four-game ban. For the fifth positive result, a 10-game ban will be due to that player.
However, now the NFL has shown the willingness to cut the NFL players some slack and ease things down for them but nothing solid verdict has been taken into consideration as of yet. The main problem is due to the orthodox believes of the League’s commissioner, Roger Goodell. He thinks marijuana should be avoided and opioid painkillers should be considered instead, despite being legalized in half of the states of America.
Can the NFL players cheat their way into not testing positive?
Chris Long once explained how he would skip testing positive despite using marijuana regularly. This is because the tests were actually scheduled and took place once a year. He also stated that marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol.
Thus, the players can easily cheat their way out of this one test. If they remained marijuana clean weeks before the test and avoid being testes positive, they can resume their marijuana use after that as usual.
However, it may take weeks for the players to test clean of marijuana, thus in that meantime, they would be required to shift on alternate pain killers. Some of these alternate methods previously used included alcohol, prescription painkillers, and sleeping pills.
Although, in May of 2019, the NFL decided to act upon their decision and considered the health of the players. They had agreed to make it compulsory for each team to have a mental health practitioner who would also help them work out alternate pain management methods rather than depending upon painkillers.
How are the NFL players responding?
The players have decided to not respond upon this matter as of yet due to some obvious reasons, which is actually understandable. Not many team players usually express their views upon matters that may concern the reputation of their league and overall careers.
What does the future of the NFL and Marijuana hold?
As seen earlier, the NFL is attempting to bring about several changes in its marijuana policy. It may come as the NFL trying to extend the final decision until after 18 games (by the end of 2020) but it does, in the end, depends upon the players to force upon a final decision about either making marijuana a painkiller in the league or not.
However, it may as well be hard for the league to completely legalize it while it is still illegal in a few states.
A solution that may resolve this quarrel would be to make use of marijuana according to the state laws. But the decision depends upon the league while the crowd waits in anticipation.