Former NFL Player: ‘Cannabis Saved My Life’

Over the past decade, medical science has been gradually replacing cannabis fiction with cannabis fact. We now know that cannabis is a potent therapy for (among other things) pain relief and the treatment of neurological disorders.

Apart from military veterans, no occupation produces more chronic pain issues and neurological issues (concussion related) than being a professional football player. The popularity of cannabis as a medicinal therapy has been growing rapidly – among both former and current players.

The push for the NFL to reform its cannabis drug policy has gone from a whisper to a clamor. In advocating for reform, no former or current player is more emphatic than former offensive lineman, Kyle Turley.

Turley was frank when speaking to the LA Times for a recent article.
 

Turley spent 8 years as an offensive lineman, taking a relentless pounding during games and even practices. Where was Turley’s health at when he left the game after 8 seasons?
 

Turley is far from alone. Former New England Patriots star, Rob Gronkowski was similarly unequivocal about the value of cannabis as a medicinal therapy.

Not surprisingly, former players are now embracing the cannabis industry as an investment opportunity. Hall of Famer, Joe Montana has invested in a cannabis company. Terrell Davis and Gronkowski are affiliated with CBD-based companies.

Then there is the use of cannabis during the career of players. Former player Chris Long is open about this use of cannabis throughout his 11-year career. Note that this was not some “substance abuse” confession.

Rather, Long was emphatic about the benefits of cannabis use, as noted in a CBS Sports article.
 

Nothing controversial there. The Seed Investor regularly points out that alcohol and nicotine are dangerous drugs, killing more than a half a million Americans per year. Cannabis kills no one. But it does save lives – like former NFL’er Kyle Turley.

Perhaps the strongest reason why the NFL needs to update its cannabis policy for the 21st century comes in the overall numbers from the LA Times article.
 

Again, this duplicates what we are seeing outside of pro football. Cannabis has now been shown to be a powerful tool in reducing opiate dependence – and thus reducing deaths from the Opioid Crisis.

With pain management requirements that dwarf almost any other occupation, NFL players don’t just want cannabis. They need cannabis. Other professional sports (such as hockey and basketball) have similarly massive needs for safe pain management therapies.

Enter cannabis.