Nick Piccone
The National Football League Players’ Association wants to lessen punishment against players who smoke marijuana recreationally. In order to achieve this, the NFLPA will propose an amendment to the NFL’s drug policy in dealing with recreational marijuana soon. [Washington Post]
Leaders of the NFL Players Association are preparing a proposal that would amend the sport’s drug policies to take a “less punitive” approach to dealing with recreational marijuana use by players, according to the union’s executive director, DeMaurice Smith.
The proposal will be presented to union’s board of player representatives, Smith said Tuesday. If it is approved by those players, Smith said, the proposal will be made to the league. The NFL would have to agree to any changes to the drug policy, which is negotiated and jointly administered by the league and players’ union.
The proposal to modify the manner in which the league deals with recreational marijuana use would, if it is delivered, come as the NFLPA’s recently formed pain management committee separately studies the issue of marijuana use by players as a pain management tool and whether that should be permissible under the drug policies.
The union’s executive director, DeMaurice Smith, says the union “will sit down and we will present a proposal to our board. If our board approves the proposal, we’ll sit down with the league and we will make the proposal to them.”
If all goes well for the union, they’ll tell the league “therapeutically, medically and scientifically, this is the right position.” The NFL’s substance abuse policy currently dictates players who test positive for marijuana [or missed tests] are subject to fines and suspensions.
This past weekend, former Eagle Todd Herremans spoke to FOX 29 about the opiate addiction afflicting NFL players and how making recreational marijuana available to players would help them with their constant battles with pain. He even used himself as an example.
He doubled down on Twitter today.
Players Health should NOT be used as a bargaining chip. Should be allowed as alternative medicine in states where legal! https://t.co/VIVd2EtRJJ
— Mr. Herremans (@toddherremans) January 25, 2017
Is that any worse than getting drunk or using tobacco? No. Actually the other two lead to disease and death, not cannabis. https://t.co/1Vf3q7lNz3
— Mr. Herremans (@toddherremans) January 25, 2017
Some of them do unknowingly. I personally did not realize the medical benefits of cannabis until I was not allowed to use it. https://t.co/9jeEBg1Y1M
— Mr. Herremans (@toddherremans) January 25, 2017
22 out of 32 teams are in states where cannabis is offered medicinally. That's a majority https://t.co/zOvCxH7MAh
— Mr. Herremans (@toddherremans) January 25, 2017
They won't even try because the NFL will not allow a therapeutic use exemption like they do for other banned substances like Adderall https://t.co/CyDoXwVS5G
— Mr. Herremans (@toddherremans) January 25, 2017
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio makes a good point, however, saying that the union should prepare to make a concession.
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