In a surprising move for a button-down, corporate-style NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell last week opened the door, slightly, for the NFL and players to agree on using medical marijuana for treatment of pain and injuries.

Goodell spoke on the subject and in an interview with former Associated Press White House correspondent Ben Feller at the 92nd St. Y., reports ESPN.

According to ESPN, Goodell said he could envision a time when players use medical marijuana to treat pain in states where it is legal: “I don’t know what’s going to develop as far as the next opportunity for medicine to evolve and to help either deal with pain or help deal with injuries, but we will continue to support the evolution of medicine.”

Well, now, that is something — especially in light of the fact that marijuana use has caused several Seattle players some time on the field.

As reported in a Washington Post article last week arguing that the NFL should stop punishing for marijuana use:

The Broncos and the Seahawks have each lost key players this season to marijuana-related suspensions. Denver’s Von Miller, the 2011 NFL defensive rookie of the year, missed the first six games for allegedly failing drug tests and failing to complywith league drug testing . (Miller is now out for the season with a knee injury.) And the Seahawks lost starting cornerback Walter Thurmond for four games during the latter part of the season, reportedly for testing positive for marijuana. Less than a month later, the league suspended Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner indefinitely for failing a drug test. Again, it was believed that marijuana was the culprit.

Alos in July, as reported on NFL.com:

The stress of coping with life led Will Hill to use marijuana, the New York Giants safety said Sunday in his first comments after being hit by the NFL with his second four-game suspension. Speaking frankly before practicing at training camp, Hill said the suspension he received last week for using marijuana was for failing a drug test last season.

The Post aptly concludes:

The NFL’s current 10-year collective-bargaining agreement was adopted in 2011, so changing its marijuana policy would take some maneuvering. … Instead of waiting, the NFL should address the issue now so that players can derive the benefits of the substance — or simply use it as an alternative to alcohol — sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, here are some strains for reducing stress:

Jake Ellison can be reached at 206-448-8334 or jakeellison@seattlepi.com. Follow Jake on Twitter at twitter.com/Jake_News. Also, swing by and *LIKE* his page on Facebook.

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