Here’s Why Football Players Are Starting to Use CBD
In early 2020, many people asked a straightforward question: “Why can almost every professional sports athlete use CBD except football players?” It was a question that needed answering, given the link between CBD and football. Former stars such as Rob Gronkowski have advocated for football player CBD oil. The Patriots legend is now one of the prominent voices behind the use of the cannabinoid.
At the time, the NFL insisted on maintaining its draconian stance regarding CBD and football. It wasn’t even legal to use products such as CBD gummies just a few months ago in the league. It was an extraordinary situation since WADA had removed the cannabinoid from its list of banned substances.
Meanwhile, UFC fighters, golfers, Olympic athletes, soccer players, tennis stars, and many other sportspeople were free to use CBD. According to the NFL, there isn’t enough evidence to support claims that cannabidiol helps with acute and chronic pain. This is despite hundreds of scientific papers that suggest CBD is useful for these particular purposes!
A pain management committee wrote that the extent of CBD’s use in the United States outpaces the level of evidence. NFL players such as Chris Long, Ricky Williams, and Jake Plummer all argue against this assertion.
Finally, a semblance of common sense prevailed. The latest labour agreement between players, the league, and the players union made a significant change. The NFL has agreed not to ban players who test positive for cannabis on the first occasion. As long as players' CBD oil contains less than 0.3% THC, there is little chance of a positive test.
Moving Away from Opioids
The level of opioid addiction in the United States is astounding and genuinely frightening. It is even worse when you focus on American Footballers. A study published in Drug Alcohol Dependency in 2011 painted a horrifying picture.
The researchers conducted a phone survey with over 600 NFL players from the 2009 Retired Players Association Directory. Over half of the players reported opioid use during their careers, with over 70% admitting misuse. Also, 15% of the players said they still misused opioids. The prevalence of current opioid use was over triple the rate of the general population.
A significant proportion of players first use opioid painkillers in their first two seasons. Most of them only begin using them once they entered the NFL. As the study above reported, many continue to use these drugs once their playing days are over. They find that more pills are required to get the same effect as before.
Aaron Gibson was a lineman who first took opioids in his rookie year after shoulder surgery. He admits that he ran through drugs such as OxyContin like they were nothing. One doctor told Gibson that he was prescribing a medication level akin to what a Stage 4 cancer patient would receive. Furthermore, the doctor didn’t know that Gibson was seeing other physicians to get more pills.
What football player CBD oil can do is reduce this reliance on opioid painkillers. There is evidence that cannabidiol isn’t addictive. The World Health Organisation (WHO) even said that CBD has a good safety profile.
CBD and Football – A Combination That Could Help Many Players
Once players leave the NFL, they must learn to deal with their opioid addiction all alone. Addiction to these painkillers is costly. It is normal to pay up to $10 for a powerful pill, and players use dozens a day in some cases. The majority of pills are not covered by insurance.
Players burn through savings and sell possessions. Some players lose their home and are abandoned by their families. Randy Grimes slept alone on the floor of an empty house, his body writhing in agony from withdrawal symptoms.
Though there are no guarantees, perhaps switching to CBD oil could help. Estimates vary, but it is believed that up to 90% of NFL players use cannabis! Maybe allowing football players to use CBD oil will reduce the usage of marijuana. Certainly, the fact that it is highly unlikely to show up on a drug test for THC is a significant benefit.
Unlike cannabis, CBD oil use is widely tolerated in the United States and dozens of countries worldwide. It isn’t federally legal, however, nor is it legal in all 50 states technically speaking. In countries like the UK, you can find it in High Street stores and online.
CBD and football are a combination that is gaining relevance and is now permitted in the NFL. Players find it relatively easy to buy CBD from various brands. This includes top-rated international companies such as Provacan. It is an organisation that is rapidly expanding. It offers premium-grade CBD backed by third-party lab reports. Thankfully, NFL players can now access such companies and use low-THC cannabidiol products.
