The issue of whether CBD and football should mix has become something of a soap opera in recent times. The NFL refused even to countenance permitting football players to use CBD. In January 2020, the League claimed that there wasn’t enough science for it to endorse the non-intoxicating cannabinoid.
In March 2020, once again, the headline was: “NFL Says No To CBD.” It created the NFLPA Pain Management Committee to study CBD and other alternatives to opioids as painkillers. The NFL even released a white paper on the topic. According to a Committee statement at the time, CBD is a promising compound, but the level of use in America outstrips research into it.
The Committee also pointed out that up to 30% of CBD products don’t provide an accurate estimate of the level of purity and potency on the label. This data likely came from a study published in JAMA in November 2017. According to the researchers, who analyzed 84 products, the NFL was understating the lack of transparency! 43% of products were under labeled, and 26% were over labeled.
A Sudden Volte-Face?
Reports from April 2020 suggested that the NFL had changed its mind on the issue. It now seems as if CBD and football can legally coexist. Apparently, players are permitted to use CBD oil products to enhance their wellbeing and health as part of the NFLPA agreement. However, it remains unclear whether CBD oil is allowed in the NFL.
Perhaps we will see several current players discuss their usage of the cannabinoid. However, one can understand their reluctance. After all, the FDA has not approved CBD, even though it now allows the growth of industrial hemp. A significant proportion of this crop is used in the CBD industry!
What we are seeing is a host of former football players discussing CBD oil. Brett Favre is a legendary QB and also one of the toughest. Favre will forever be associated with the Green Bay Packers, but also played with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. He made an incredible 297 consecutive starts across 19 seasons in a league known for being physically demanding.
His durability was ‘aided’ by an extraordinary number of painkillers. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Favre admitted taking up to 14 Vicodin pills at once during the 1995 season. What many fans didn’t know is that Favre also made three attempts at rehab to escape his alcohol and painkiller addiction.
These days, Favre uses CBD to deal with his pain and has become a huge advocate. He hopes that the cannabinoid makes it into mainstream American lifestyle soon. It helps with pain but doesn’t trap the user in a cycle of addiction.
The NFL’s Opioid Epidemic
At this stage, most people have probably heard about the opioid epidemic in the United States. At present, well over 100 people a day die from an opioid-related illness. What is perhaps less-known is the staggering level of opioid addiction in the NFL.
One Washington University study found that retired players use painkillers at four times the rate of the general population. 52% of retired players said they had used opioids, and 71% of those individuals fitted the criteria for misuse!
Many issues are responsible for this problem. The ‘culture’ in the NFL involves justifying the regular usage of painkillers because they ensure players continue to get paid. There are a myriad of legal cases where players received painkillers without ever being told about the dangers involved. It is staggering that the NFL continues to allow this to happen but drags its heels over allowing football and CBD to mix.
Can Football Players Be Saved by CBD Oil?
The likes of Terrell Davis say ‘yes.’ The use of the best CBD capsules, oil, topicals, and even beverages likely have a better safety profile than opioids. Davis is a Hall of Famer, and during an interview with CNBC in 2019, outlined why he felt that the NFL should allow CBD.
In the interview, Davis pointed out that his body was beaten up after many hard years’ operating as a running back. While ‘traditional’ treatments had little positive effect on his migraines and joint pain, CBD was beneficial. According to Davis, he now feels about as good as he did when he still played. He is one of many talented NFL players who was forced into premature retirement due to injury.
The likes of Davis are perhaps the lucky ones. In 2019, he launched a CBD-infused sports drink called Defy and currently appears to be in reasonably good health. Sadly, there are countless NFL players tossed on the scrapheap; careers ended early and followed by a terrible addiction.
If you want to discover more about the cannabinoid, take a trip to the WayofLeaf website. Here, you will get valuable information about CBD, not to mention a massive array of unbiased reviews so that you can find the best brands.