Lifestyle Yet Another NFL Player Suspended for Cannabis Gage Peake November 29, 2016 FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2014, file photo, Buffalo Bills tackle Seantrel Henderson (66) celebrates as he watches a 58 yard game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit. A double-digit deficit is no longer the death knell it used to be in the NFL. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson, File)

In a move that underscores the NFL’s ongoing rejection of medical cannabis, the league’s top brass on Tuesday announced the suspension of Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson for 10 games, citing his violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

The suspension is a big blow to Henderson the future of his career. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in the middle of last season and has been using medicinal cannabis as part of his treatment regimen. He’s since played in only one preseason game and one regular-season game, having also lost significant weight.

The league notified the Bills organization of Henderson’s suspension on Tuesday, the team said. It’s Henderson’s second suspension this year. He served a four-game ban at the beginning of the season, also as the result of his medical cannabis use.

Brian Fettner, Henderson’s agent, called the league’s decision “heartbreaking,” pointing out that Henderson can’t appeal the suspension, because the NFL doesn’t allow an exemption for medical marijuana use.

“His situation is unique, but the drug policy doesn’t line up with the uniqueness. It’s disappointing,” Fettner said.

“The reality is, the NFL’s position has been if you need medical marijuana, then you’re too sick to play,” he added. “But that’s just not the case for Seantrel Henderson.”

The former Miami Hurricanes star will now sit out the final five games of the season. His suspension will carry over into either the playoffs, if the Bills were to make it, or next season. According to Fettner, Henderson is considering taking legal action.

Henderson’s suspension should come as no surprise to football fans, however. In 2016 alone, there have been 26 NFL players suspended for a violation of the substance abuse policy. Below is a list of NFL players who were suspended this year because of substance abuse, with data used from Spotrac.

Player Pos. Team Amount Infraction Games Suspended Duration Josh Gordon WR CLE $251,389 Violating the NFL's substance abuse policy 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Martavis Bryant WR PIT $709,805 Violating the league's substance abuse policy multiple times 16 Week 1 - Week 16 Silas Redd RB WAS $525,000 Violating the league's substance abuse policy 0 Week 0 - Week 0 Le'Veon Bell RB PIT $154,247 Violating the league's substance abuse policy 2 Week 1 - Week 2 Taylor Mays SS CIN N/A Violating the league's substance abuse policy 8 Week 1 - Week 8 Nick Moody ILB SEA N/A Violating the league's substance abuse policy 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Karlos Williams RB BUF $136,197 Violating substance abuse policy 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Kenny Vaccaro SS NO $705,593 Substance Abuse (adderall) 4 Week 0 - Week 0 Karlos Williams RB PIT N/A Substance Abuse 10 Week 12 - Week 17 Jason Jones DE MIA $169,741 Substance Abuse 2 Week 12 - Week 13 Alan Branch DT NE $407,352 Substance Abuse 4 Week 12 - Week 15 Rolando McClain ILB DAL N/A Substance Abuse 0 Week 11 - Week 16 Trent Williams LT WAS $2,517,647 Substance Abuse 4 Week 9 - Week 12 Randy Gregory OLB DAL $510,018 Substance Abuse 10 Week 5 - Week 14 Randy Gregory OLB DAL $216,757 Substance abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Seantrel Henderson RT BUF $144,169 Substance Abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Rob Ninkovich DE NE $1,058,823 Substance Abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Sammie Lee Hill DT TEN N/A Substance Abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Damion Square DE SD $170,588 Substance abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Marcell Dareus DT BUF $3,035,294 Substance Abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Shiloh Keo SS DEN $89,411 Substance Abuse 2 Week 1 - Week 2 Marqueston Huff FS TEN $41,547 Substance Abuse 1 Week 1 - Week 1 Rolando McClain ILB DAL $1,176,470 Substance Abuse 10 Week 1 - Week 10 Darren Waller TE BAL $130,064 Substance abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4 Will Hill SS BAL N/A Substance Abuse 10 Week 1 - Week 10 Aaron Lynch OLB SF $152,824 for violating the leagues Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse 4 Week 1 - Week 4

This list of players suspended for substance abuse comes just days after both the NFL league offices as well as the player’s union announced they will be studying cannabis for pain-management.

“We are actively looking at the issue of pain management of our players. And studying marijuana as a substance under that context is the direction we are focused on,” George Atallah, the NFLPA’s assistant executive director of external affairs, told the Washington Post.

Changes to the current drug policy would need to be agreed upon by the league and the NFL Players Association, either as part of future collective bargaining or as a separate policy.

According to reports from the NFL, several league executives said the NFL should “follow the country” in the changing attitudes about cannabis use. It helps with high-profile suspensions like the ones of Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon and former Nebraska star and current Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory have also raised more awareness about the issue.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Gage Peake Gage Peake is a former staff writer for Leafly, where he specialized in data journalism, sports, and breaking news coverage. He's a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications. View Gage Peake's articles