The stories surrounding the use of synthetic marijuana are all over with people using it and having awful health reactions from it. However, NFL players continue to be caught using it. Despite the obvious evidence against even trying this synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or spice, it still is becoming a growing problem for the NFL.

The most recent story involving this new man made substance involved the New England Patriots OLB Chandler Jones who had a bad reaction to the drug that left him in the emergency room before the playoffs started. Jones had a reaction to it that forced him to seek help at a local police station where he found paramedics to help him with his paranoid reaction from the substance.

The most ridiculous thing about synthetic marijuana is that it exists at all considering the laxing of marijuana laws around the country. The NFL is still behind the times for the increased awareness of medicinal uses of marijuana so it is still an outlawed substance. They have not caught up to outlawing the synthetic marijuana either which means that players can use the more dangerous substance without fear of violating the NFL's bylaws regarding outlawed substances.

Until the NFL fixes their outdated approach to marijuana, a plant that has had numerous studies done showing that it can help protect the brain against injury, the use of synthetic marijuana will continue to spread. The league needs to see that they are at a crossroads and that their overboard punishments regarding marijuana are not just keeping a possibly helpful medication out of their players hands but are also pushing them towards using a more dangerous but allowed substance like synthetic marijuana.

Of course what we will see next will probably just be adding Spice to the outlawed substances with no adjustments made to allow the legal use of marijuana. They will continue to test for a plant that could possibly combat their massive problem with CTE and brain injuries instead of open their minds to the possibility of it's use as a medicine. We will see how it goes, but trusting the NFL to make a fair and logical decision seems far out of the realm of possibilities on this topic.

Synthetic marijuana remains a problem for NFL

Two Use of synthetic cannabinoids can lead to hallucinations, seizures and even death.

Chandler Jones just needed help, but self-preservation taught him to surrender - SBNation.com

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