NFL is Investing More Money In Research On CBD As A Opioid Replacement For Players With Head Concussions

The National Football League and its players’ union announced Thursday that they will jointly award another round of funding for independent research to support the therapeutic benefits CBD as an alternative pain treatment to opioids.

The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience will lead one of the two studies. This study will explore non-invasive vagal stimulation (nVNS), cannabidiol, and other alternative treatments to treat post-concussion pain.

ASPN stated in its description of the project that “new treatment avenues, such as cannabinoids or non-drug alternatives such as [nVNS], have shown promise in terms of their effects on concussion-related inflammation.”

“This randomized study–first-of-its-kind research–will compare nVNS and cannabidiol (CBD) in contact sport athletes experiencing PTH to current standard of care treatment,” it says. The pilot data collected in this study will help guide future research into the treatment of post-traumatic headache.

The NFL Players Association and NFL have been promoting research on the benefits and dangers of cannabinoids such as CBD for the past few years. The league approved $1 million in grants last year for two studies that looked at the effectiveness of marijuana in treating football players’ concussions and managing their pain.

Continuing the commitment to providing the best care for players, the @NFL and @NFLPA have jointly awarded $526,525 in grants to researchers with @ASPN_PainNeuro and @emoryhealthcare to study alternative pain management methods, including CBD: https://t.co/I6ufxFYJlq

NFL345 (@NFL345) 22 June 2023

In a Thursday press release, NFL Chief Medical Office Allen Sills stated that “we are always looking for new knowledge, tools, and techniques to ensure NFL athletes receive the best care possible.” We are proud to be leading the way in investigating how CBD and alternative measures can positively impact the pain management of players. We want to make sure that every treatment we have is approved by the appropriate medical standards for use in the context of player safety and health.

Kevin Hill, cochair of the NFL/NFLPA Pain Management Committee said, “Our hope is that these studies will assist the players in managing the pain associated with professional football.”

The NFL commissioner and the players’ union presented the first preview of the funding plan on June 20, 2022. They highlighted the interest of players and stakeholders in exploring cannabinoids as a therapeutic alternative, especially to opioid painkillers.

The NFL and NFLPA committee jointly held two informational meetings on CBD in 2020.

In 2020, as part of an agreement on collective bargaining, the NFL’s policy for drug testing changed demonstrably. The policy stipulates that no player will be suspended from a game for a positive test for marijuana or any other drug.

As the movement to legalize cannabis at state level continues, other sports leagues have adopted similar revised policies.

A committee of the National Collegiate Athletics Association, which focuses on health and wellness among student athletes, has proposed to remove cannabis from the list of banned substances.

The National Basketball Association has removed the drug testing requirement for THC while allowing its players to passively participate in the industry. In May, it clarified that players would not be allowed to promote marijuana brands under the latest collective bargaining agreements.

In early 2018, Nevada’s sports regulators passed a resolution to to send a regulatory amendment proposal to the Governor , which would protect athletes against being punished for using or possessing cannabis as per state law.

UFC announced that in 2021 they will no longer punish fighters for positive marijuana tests.

The Kansas City Royals have recently formed a relationship with a cannabis-brand in order to educate the public about the therapeutic potential of CBD. They are the second Major League Baseball team (MLB) to do this, after the Chicago Cubs.

MLB announced its league-wide collaboration with a popular CBD product last year. Charlotte’s Web Holdings signed a deal to become “Official Cannabis of MLB” with the league.