Over the last several years, numerous current and ex-NFL players have made convincing arguments about why the league should legalize marijuana use. They talk about its pain management benefits and role in minimizing the use of addictive prescription drugs, both of which are true. But Chris Long is adding an important layer to the conversation that has been previously overlooked: the NFL doesn't really ban marijuana, anyway, so it might as well allow players to use the drug openly and step out of the proverbial shadows.
In a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Long talked about his regular marijuana use as a player. "I'm not a dry snitch, I'm not going to put a percentage on how much the league smokes, but I certainly enjoyed my fair share on a regular basis throughout my career," he explained, via the Washington Post. "So, you know, and I was never afraid to say that and I'm able to say it more explicitly now: if not for that, I'm not as capable of coping with the stressors of day-to-day NFL life. A lot of guys get a lot of pain management out of it. Toradol did more pain management for me."
The former Patriot says he was able to smoke marijuana frequently during the season, because the NFL only tests for recreational drugs once between late April and early August. After that, it's the green light to light up. Long explains the ineffectiveness of the testing policy, which only serves to catch players smoking marijuana at the wrong time of year. The whole system is a farce.
"I think testing is arbitrary. The league, speaking plainly, knows damn well what they're doing," Long said. "Testing players once a year for 'street drugs', which is a terrible classification for marijuana, is kind of silly because, you know, players know when the test is, we can stop. And in that month or two that you stop, you're going to reach for the sleeping pills, you're going to reach for the pain killers, you're going to reach for the bottle a little bit more."
The NFL announced this week it will create a joint committee with the NFLPA that will study alternative methods of pain management, including marijuana use. Numerous studies already show marijuana effectively eases pain, which explains why the drug is legal for medical use in 33 states –– including conservative hotbeds such as Arkansas and Montana.
Though the NFL isn't making any concrete commitments about legalizing weed, it seems like they're heading in that direction. The league is also currently mired in a recently resurrected lawsuit with ex-players who argue teams recklessly handed out painkillers without alerting them of damaging side effects.
Much like in the rest of society, legalizing marijuana in the NFL for medicinal use would likely curtail the use of harmful opioids and also keep players on active rosters. It seems like a win-win, especially when you consider it is already legalized with a wink.
