A lot of changes have taken place in the National Football League in the past few years, and many of them are changes that will impact the players personally. The United States’s flagship sporting behemoth has seen a number of evolutions in recent times, and one of the most interesting has been the legalization of marijuana and CBD, under new directives by the NFLPA.
The National Football League Players Association works closely with the game’s governing bodies in order to try to get the best end result for players every season. Thanks to a recent agreement with the league representatives and owners, a vote determined that it was now possible for players in the NFL to use marijuana products and CBD products to help with things like pain management.
This agreement is a groundbreaking change to the league’s initial stance on anything to do with marijuana, and marks the signs of a positive relationship between the NFL and its Players Association. Due to the changes in regulation, players in the new season will be able to use these products as a non-invasive form of pain relief; one that doesn’t involve the need for prescription medication.
Indeed, as part of the policy, and the long-term democratic process that led to this stage, the league has agreed that players using or in possession of marijuana products will not face suspensions, as was previously the case. What’s more, changes to this drugs policy will see the testing period reduced and limited, as well as raising the threshold of a positive test from 35 nanograms of THC to 150.
The unprecedented move comes just a month after it was reported that the league seemed unlikely to grant players access to CBD or other marijuana products. The reasons and motivations behind the change in direction from the NFL remains unclear, but it is a positive thing as it shows that the players union and the league seem to have an amicable enough relationship.
Under previous rules, players testing positive for marijuana products faced an instant two-game ban, but on occasion this could even have risen to a 10-game ban! Fortunately, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has softened its stance on CBD and marijuana of late, perhaps due to state-wide legalizations over the past few years. So it could be the case that the NFL is simply changing its approach to match that of WADA.
Whatever the reasons, this is a change that many will view positively, and it shows that the league is not afraid to admit its stance on things might be a little wrong. So, we could well end up seeing more changes to many of the rules the NFL has in place in coming seasons. And there is a good bet many, especially in the players’ corner, will be hoping that the issue of concussions is one that is met and addressed full-on.
The changes to drug policy have opened up the door for some more negotiations on other issues surrounding the well-being of players, and it is hoped that a point can be reached that benefits all of the players.