As more and more states across the country legalize marijuana, the NFL is looking into whether the plant could be used as an alternative for player pain management.
According to SportTechie.com, the NFL and the NFL Players’ Association have committed $1 million for research into pain treatment.
The NFL and NFLPA are specifically researching the effects of cannabis, cannabinoids and non-pharmacological treatments for pain. The committee will request research proposals and provide up to five grants for teams looking into the issue later this year.
The news comes after the NFL and the NFLPA last year signed a collective bargaining agreement that included stipulations that the NFL stop suspending players who test positive for marijuana, limit tests to a two-week period during training camp, and raise the THC threshold for positive tests.
The NFL is asking researchers to study how cannabis might treat pain in football players, as well as their reaction time and cardiorespiratory function.
