NFL Investing in Research Analyzing Cannabis to Manage Pain
As more professional athletes turn to cannabis for pain relief, the NFL has decided to invest in research that could prove once and for all the impact cannabis has on pain. Players are using it as an alternative to the addictive pharmaceuticals – namely, opioids – as they believe it aids in lessening pain from post-game injuries and minimizes recovery time.
The Denver Channel reported that despite athletes sharing their stories with the public, there’s not enough scientific research to prove these anecdotal reports.
“The NFL, it’s hard for them to throw support to something that has absolutely no evidence. So they’ve taken the leap to provide the funding to look for some evidence,” explained Mark Wallace, MD, chief of the division of Pain Medicine at UC San Diego.
The NFL gave the university a $500,000 grant to look into the impact of cannabis on pain management.
