Article content

The National Football League (NFL) and National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), have announced the creation of a committee to explore the potential of alternative pain management treatments, including the use of medical cannabis.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or NFL and NFL Players Association announce intent to study cannabis for pain management Back to video

“Very historic and proud day for league and NFLPA to partner together on this,” said NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills.

The collaboration couldsuggest the end of the league’s ban on players consuming medical cannabis–possibly as soon as the beginning of the 2021 season.

“We want to explore all of the strategies that help a player deal with acute and chronic pain,” Sills told ESPN. “Some of those efforts require medication, some don’t. With regard to marijuana, certainly there’s a lot of discussion about not only cannabis but cannabinoid compounds, CBD, and it’s something that health care providers are exploring outside of football. That type of research will certainly be part of the mission of this committee and this program.”