The Vine

Yesterday the pain management committee of the NFL and the NFL Players Association announced that they will provide $1 million in funding for research into pain management and cannabinoids.

"For years, the NFL suspended players if they tested positive for cannabis multiple times. That changed with the collective bargaining agreement approved a year ago. Now, the league wants to know more about how safe cannabis and CBD are and if they work, particularly as a potential alternative to opioids -- an interest that follows broader societal concerns about pain management and the use and risks of powerful opioids," says the Judy Battista, Reporter for the NFL. Read more here. 

The Chicago Sun Times reported that Tuesday’s announcement was made by NFL executive VP for health and safety Jeff Miller and Dr. Kevin Hill, the co-chair of the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee. He is the author of “Marijuana: The Unbiased Truth about the World’s Most Popular Weed.” 

Up to five grants are expected to be awarded by Thanksgiving as the league seeks to know more about the efficacy of cannabis and CBD and their potential as alternatives to opioids, reported Ganjapreneur.

At PMP we believe that athletes should have access to plant medicines, especially players who are engaged in a full-contact sport like American football. We'll keep a close look at this developing story, and will share news as it unfolds.