How Medical Marijuana Could Save NFL In Concussion War

Even as pro football and the NFL continue to dominate the American sports landscape, many fear the long-term concerns of brain trauma could potentially destroy it.

Several people have continued to state through every media stream that this is a reality, no matter how powerful the league may look at present. As players become more educated on the subject, they begin to realize their futures don’t look so bright, no matter how much money they might be making. So rather than play a sport they do so well and often love, they decide to pursue a different path and preserve their minds from potentially catastrophic damage years down the road.

That is why “concussion” is such a buzz word. Articles, books and even movies have been made about them and how its connected to players who suffered them during their careers, leading to all sorts of problems including dementia, memory loss and even Parkinson’s disease. It’s a scary situation that is growing in terms of its campaign to either make the game safer, or if necessary eradicate it completely.

Surprise! Concussion (the book) is about so much more than the NFL. https://t.co/TISq2wUT8g via @TheBookWheel pic.twitter.com/RgoJuZigh1
— Stacy (@thenovellife) June 18, 2016

Unless the NFL finds a way to reverse the trend and show they have found some ways to make their players safer, this game that brings so much joy to fans may be on a shorter timeline than anybody wants to admit.

One area that they haven’t really explored is chemical countermeasures. Thus far the league has focused on obvious things like new helmets, better pads, and rules to help curb the most violent parts of the game such as hits up near the head. So what if a way came about where players might be able to take certain medicines that not only reduce symptoms of brain trauma, but even prevent them?

That could be a game-changer. Here’s the problem though. That potential trump card is marijuana. Medical marijuana to be precise, or cannabidiol (CBD). Josh Keefe of The Observer explored just how it could be to not only treating retired players with brain and body issues, but also protecting them while they are still playing.

"“CBD has two major medical benefits that are of interest to NFL players and ex-players. The first is pain relief: Studies have shown that CBD and THC are both effective pain relievers, and a nonaddictive pain reliever is certainly of interest to a league currently being sued by former players for negligent and harmful distribution of opiates.The other major medical benefit of CBD is unique to the compound. Several studies have shown that CBD has neuroprotective qualities, which means it apparently protects the brain from injury.So far, most of the scientific evidence of CBD’s ability to protect the brain from injury and aid recovery is based on animal studies. Recent studies have shown that CBD reduces the damage from brain injury in newborn pigs and rats. But there is anecdotal evidence for its effect on children with seizure disorders.”"

Several NFL players including former quarterback Jake Plummer and current offensive tackle Eugene Monroe have joined in the crusade to advance cannabis as a legitimate treatment option for others like them. This idea that it could possibly become a significant deterrent against brain trauma, by far the biggest concern for football players and the leading cause of retirements among younger athletes in the game could be enormous.

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The problem is the NFL itself has kept a discreet distance from any idea of researching the possibilities. Despite committing $100 million to concussion research, the tag of being a recreational drug that is still illegal in many states has made cannabis a touchy subject for a league that takes its image so seriously. Considering what the substances they’ve suspended players for in recent years, it would look like a complete 180 a bit hypocritical if they decided to start embracing the idea of medical marijuana, even if the results are so promising.

"“If ultimately proven effective, CBD won’t just help football players. It could also help military veterans, a population often over-prescribed addictive opiates and likely to suffer traumatic brain injury (TBI). Many veterans have reported using cannabis to treat PTSD. One of those is Sean Judge, co-founder of the New England Veterans Alliance, a medical marijuana advocacy group.“I fully believe that TBI and encephalopathic injuries, head trauma, blunt trauma, is completely tied to both the military experience and the NFL,” said Judge at the Expo. He believes the NFL could be a powerful voice for the treatment and prevention of brain injuries that afflict both football players and veterans. “They have the money and they have the resources,” he said.”"

It’s still not clear whether CBD or others like it have long-term promise towards treating and preventing brain injuries, but the results thus far are enough to warrant attention, money and research from the NFL. That’s assuming their overriding goal is to preserve the game as the national sport moving forward. Time will tell if they are willing to make that leap.

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