The NFL invests $1 million in cannabinoid research

The NFL’s Joint Pain Management Committee awarded a $1 million research grant to two medical teams that will study how cannabinoids affect pain management and “neuroprotection from concussion” in players.

The NFL and NFL Players Association Leaders’ Committee selected two of 106 potential medical teams to quarterback the seven-figure study. The University of California San Diego and the University of Regina in Canada will host the league’s weed research for the next three years. And the researchers, according to Dr. Allen Sills, NFL Chief Medical Officer, have a heavy burden of proof.

“Anytime we look to introduce a new therapy, we need to understand how that decision might impact its well-being and performance,” said Dr. Sills told the Associated Press about the leagues’ remote approach to research.

“This type of work will be interesting for athletes in many different sports and at all levels. We know that all sports have some level of injury and pain associated with those injuries. And so I think this is going to be very generalizable.” –Dr. Allen Sills, NFL Chief Medical Officer

dr Sills says the league knows that “these products are already on the market and in many cases are being widely and widely marketed. So, this research will help educate people about which strategies may be beneficial and which may not. And so I see this as tremendously impactful for the NFL, for all elite sport, but also for sport at all levels of society.”

Ricky Williams left an NFL career at its peak because of the league’s outdated cannabis policy. The Heisman Trophy winner now carries his own legal cannabis brand, Highsman, which will normalize the use of the plant for fans and athletes alike. (Courtesy of Real Wellness)

Cannabis remains illegal in the NFL, and many players have been severely penalized and stigmatized by the league for using weed. The most recent contract between the league and the NFLPA eliminated bans, stopped testing during the offseason and raised the threshold for a positive test by 400%.

dr Sills hopes this study will pave the way for further research into how cannabis can help athletes of all levels. He said: “There was a lot of interest in this area, but we didn’t feel that there was a lot of solid research on the benefits of marijuana, CBD and treating acute and chronic pain. So we wanted to try to contribute to science in this field.”

Leading cannabis researcher Dr. Kevin Hill, co-chair of the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee, explained one obstacle that has held things up to this point. “One reason is that planning cannabis makes this research difficult,” said Dr. Hill. “But the main reason is that the stakeholders really aren’t interested in advancing the science.”

By submitting this form, you are subscribing to Leafly news and promotional emails and agreeing to Leafly’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email communications at any time.