The NFL's Anti-Weed Policy Even Extends to Drugs That Could Prevent Brain Damage

The case of Josh Gordon, a star wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, is proof that the NFL comes down hard on players who use marijuana. Gordon — who had failed three previous drug tests — was handed a season-long suspension prior to the 2014 season after he was busted for smoking pot, which the league considers a banned substance. The ban was later reduced to 10 games after the league reworked its drug policy.

Until now, the league's strict anti-weed policy has only had an impact on which athletes are allowed to compete. Now, however, the hard-line stance may have serious consequences for the long-term health of players who suffer repeated concussions.

For the past few years, the NFL has grappled with how to handle chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative neurological condition caused by concussions. In July, the NFL settled a lawsuit over concussion-related brain injuries brought by more than 4,500 former players, agreeing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate victims, pay for medical exams, and underwrite research on diseases such as CTE.

KannaLife, a New York-based company, is now working with the federal government to develop a drug that may prevent certain neurological disorders, including CTE. But the drug is derived from marijuana, which has made the NFL reluctant to lend its support.

https://news.vice.com/article/the-nfls-anti-weed-policy-even-extends-to-drugs-that-could-prevent-brain-damage

Note the article is from November. Today, Josh Gordon was suspended for yet another season for testing positive for alcohol.