The NFL’s Liquor Advertising Announcement Is Blatant Hypocrisy
The National Football League (NFL) prohibits cannabis consumption by any of its athletes, regardless of where they live, and regardless of the purpose behind the consumption. Players are drug tested and if they have more than 35 ng/mL of THC metabolites in their system, they are punished. In some cases, such as that of Seantrel Henderson of the Buffalo Bills, players can punished very harshly, even though the use was entirely medical in nature.
A big push has been underway to try to convince the NFL to change its policy. The NFL has improved its policy over the years, having raised the allowable THC metabolite limit from 15 ng/mL to 35 ng/mL, but that is not nearly enough. To put it into perspective, the Olympics allows up to 150 ng/mL. The National Hockey League (NHL) doesn’t even list cannabis as a banned substance at all. A very prominent NFL team owner, along with dozens of NFL players (current and retired) have been calling on the league to update its harmful policy, yet the NFL continues to cling to 100% prohibition.
One reason for continuing cannabis prohibition, as recently offered up by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, is that cannabis has ‘no medical value.’ As the Uncle Cliffy team pointed out at the time, that claim by Mr. Goodell is not only inaccurate, it is also harmful since it damages the constructive conversation surrounding cannabis and players’ health. Cannabis absolutely has medical value, and could do a lot to help suffering NFL players. Cannabis has been the subject of more studies than hydrocodone, toradol, and tylenol – combined. Those are three substances that the NFL widely embraces.
Another substance that the NFL widely embraces is alcohol. The NFL gladly accepts advertising dollars from the alcohol industry, with one six-year deal with Bud Light being worth $1.4 billion dollars alone. A big reason that the NFL also points to as justification for continuing cannabis prohibition is that it is being done ‘for the health of the players.’ But if you consider the fact that cannabis has been proven to be 114 times safer than alcohol, and that alcohol is embraced while cannabis is prohibited, it’s easy to see that the NFL’s current stance is incredibly hypocritical.
That hypocrisy was on further display this week when it was announced that the NFL plans to allow liquor advertising next season. Per Bleacher Report:
On Friday, Joe Flint and Suzanne Vranica of the Wall Street Journal reported all ads for distilled spirits will need to include a “prominent social responsibility message.” An NFL executive told the outlet the league is treating the policy as a “one-season test” but expects it to continue.
The NFL will allow four advertisements for hard liquor during each game, and the league’s television partners can also feature two during pregame and postgame shows, according to Flint and Vranica. Meanwhile, products like birth control, energy drinks, gambling venues and marijuana in states where it’s legal remain banned.
Another reason that the NFL has cited as justification for keeping prohibition in place is the classic ‘what about the children’ argument. The NFL seems to think that allowing players to use medical cannabis in a legal state will ‘send the wrong message to kids.’ The Uncle Cliffy team wholeheartedly agrees that cannabis should be kept away from children. But what message does it send to kids that it’s OK to accept money to advertise a substance that kills 88,000 people annually (alcohol), but that it’s not OK for a grown adult in a legal state to use a safe, effective medicine like cannabis?
The Uncle Cliffy team is not saying that alcohol should be prohibited by any means. We firmly believe that adults should be able to consume alcohol and/or cannabis if they choose, as long as it is done responsibly. The point that the Uncle Cliffy team is trying to make is why is cannabis still being prohibited if the NFL is willing to allow liquor to be advertised during games, presumably to audiences that will include children, when cannabis is clearly safer than alcohol? How does that not send the message that greed is greater than compassion?
image via Wikipedia
Pro Athletes Should Not Be Deterred by Federal Anti-Cannabis Comments
News broke this week that Steve Cook, described by the Associated Press as ‘a zealous prosecutor who was crucial in writing the Justice Department’s new policy encouraging harsher punishments for criminals,’ has turned his attention towards cannabis. No details were released as to what exactly that means for the cannabis community, but given Mr. Cook’s background, the news does not appear to be a good thing.
The news comes after anti-cannabis comments were made by members of the Trump Administration earlier this year. In February White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated that he expects ‘greater enforcement’ of federal cannabis prohibition laws. In the same month Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the following comments, per Politico:
“Most of you probably know I don’t think America is going to be a better place when more people of all ages and particularly young people start smoking pot,” Sessions said during an exchange with reporters at the Justice Department. “I believe it’s an unhealthy practice and current levels of THC in marijuana are very high compared to what they were a few years ago.”
“We’re seeing real violence around that,” Sessions said. “Experts are telling me there’s more violence around marijuana than one would think and there’s big money involved.”
“I’m definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana,” he said. “States they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not.”
Jeff Sessions also stated the following during a speech to state attorney generals, also earlier this year:
“I’m not sure we’re going to be a better, healthier nation if we have marijuana being sold at every corner grocery store. Marijuana is a cure for opiate abuse? Give me a break. This is the kind of argument that has been made out there. It’s just almost a desperate attempt to defend the harmlessness of marijuana or even its benefits.”
These types of comments have caused a lot of anxiety in the professional sports world were current and retired athletes have been making a serious push to reform cannabis policies in sports leagues. Some media articles have reported that the anti-cannabis comments made by members of the Trump administration have made some athletes think twice about speaking out and supporting reform for fear of persecution. The Uncle Cliffy team can understand that these comments sound scary, but continues to encourage athletes to keep pushing forward.
While it’s possible that the federal government could target a pro athlete for personal cannabis use, such a move would be unprecedented, and is highly unlikely. It is much more likely that the cannabis comments and news coming out of the White House are more rhetoric than anything. By making such comments the Trump administration, and likely sports league officials, knows that it will create a chilling effect that will possibly slow down reform efforts, or convince advocates to abandon them altogether.
The fact remains that cannabis is no more or less prohibited at the federal level and in most sports leagues than it was prior to these comments and news being published. Do they increase or decrease the odds of a player being unfairly sanctioned by the league they play in? Of course not. Players are still going to be targeted in the future, just as they have been in the past until cannabis prohibition ends in professional sports.
The use of scary rhetoric is nothing new when it comes to keeping cannabis prohibition in place. Anti-cannabis statements have been used for decades by opponents in an attempt to dishearten people’s advocacy. Sadly, it often works. Many advocates feel that it’s too much of an uphill battle and there is too much to risk so they remain silent. This cannot happen in the sports cannabis movement. Athletes need to proceed onward and continue to fight for justice and compassion.
If athletes stay quiet and let fear tactics win, prohibition will remain in place. Suffering athletes like Seantrel Henderson from the Buffalo Bills will continue to be punished by the NFL, despite the fact that Seantrel’s use is entirely for medical purposes. Pro sports leagues will continue to perpetuate institutional racism by punishing players for cannabis arrests away from their team, even though mathematical data clearly shows that law enforcement arrests minorities at a disproportionate rate compared to Caucasians. As long as prohibition remains in place, athletes will continue to be punished for using a substance that is 114 times safer than alcohol while leagues simultaneously embrace alcohol, and with it, demonstrate a level of hypocrisy that should never be tolerated.
“Professional athletes need to keep pushing forward and keep calling for reform in leagues that prohibit cannabis use. Advocating for cannabis reform is not always easy, but it is always noble, and with the truth on our side we will eventually prevail and get these leagues on the right side of history.” said Cliff Robinson.
Why Medical Cannabis Reform Is Not Enough For Pro Sports Leagues
A big push has been underway to try to reform cannabis policies in professional sports leagues. Current and retired NFL players have been lobbying hard to try to convince the league to allow players to use medical cannabis under certain conditions. The same can be said about current and retired NBA players, as well as athletes in other leagues that prohibit cannabis.
The Uncle Cliffy team supports such efforts and believes that all suffering players should have safe access to cannabis because it is a safe and effective medicine. However, we also believe that medical cannabis reform does not go far enough. A league policy that continues to prohibit cannabis for adult-use, even when medical cannabis use is allowed in some circumstances, is a policy that will continue to perpetuate institutional racism.
People of color are arrested at a disproportionate rate compared to Caucasian people in America, even though the rate of consumption among races is relatively the same. In cities like St. Louis, African Americans are arrested at 18 times the rate of Caucasians. If a league continues to prohibit cannabis, and an athlete is more likely to be arrested outside of competition, then that same athlete is also that much more likely to be punished for cannabis by the league that employs them. That’s why the Uncle Cliffy team is urging athletes to push for a full end to cannabis prohibition in professional sports. Medical cannabis reform is great, but it does not go far enough to ensure that athletes are not targeted.
The details from the proposals that have been making their rounds in the media describe a scenario in which an athlete will be allowed to have cannabis in their system if the player lives in a state where medical cannabis is legal, and the player is a registered medical cannabis patient. While a number of states have legalized medical cannabis, a number of other states have not. Even in states that have legalized medical cannabis, there are still a number of hurdles that prevent a player from being eligible to become a registered medical cannabis patient.
Qualifying conditions to become a medical cannabis patient vary from state to state. A player that lives in California will be able to qualify fairly easily, whereas a player in Louisiana will have to wait a long time to be able to qualify for the same condition if they ever qualify at all. Many medical cannabis states have yet to issue medical cannabis cards/recommendations to any patients, and it could be quite some time before these states have programs in place that can actually help athletes.
A league cannabis policy that only allows exceptions for registered medical cannabis patients is going to leave a lot of players on the outside looking in. It will create a scenario that results in unfair treatment, with some players being considered to be compliant, and others not, based solely on which state the athlete decides to reside in. If a player lives in a state that does not have a medical cannabis program or does not recognize the condition that the player suffers from, they will be subject to the same disciplinary actions that are currently on the books, even if a player with the same condition that lives in a neighboring state is seen as being compliant. How is that fair? How is that compassionate?
What if a player is arrested in another state for using medical cannabis? How will the league handle that scenario? The use would obviously be medical in nature, but because the player was caught with cannabis in a prohibition state, do they still get punished by the league? Just because a player crosses a state border does not mean that their condition goes away, so this situation is a very real possibility. A medical-only league cannabis policy will help some players, but most players will still be in the same situation that they are in today.
Anything short of ending cannabis prohibition altogether will no doubt lead to selective enforcement. Leagues will be able to effectively pick and choose which players they want to let slide, and which players they want to punish. If a league wants to target a player for non-medical reasons, they will be free to do so. A player that thinks that they are in compliance with league policy will not found out that they are out of compliance until it is too late. That is clearly unacceptable.
Cannabis prohibition does not work. Athletes in professional sports leagues are adults, most of which are over the age of 21. In eight states and Washington D.C. adults over 21 years old can possess and consume cannabis responsibly, so why can’t they do the same when they are employed by a professional sports league? Why are athletes prohibited from consuming a substance that has been found to be 114 times safer than alcohol, alcohol, of course, being widely embraced by professional sports? Why do leagues support the practice of perpetuating institutional racism due to a plant that has been found to help people use fewer prescription drugs, including opioids?
“Medical cannabis reform is a great step in the right direction, and will hopefully help some players, but it does not go far enough. A medical-only policy still leaves the window open for selective enforcement, which is dangerous for players, especially players of color. The only way to eliminate institutional racism via cannabis prohibition in professional sports is to end cannabis prohibition altogether.” said Cliff Robinson.
The Uncle Cliffy team encourages professional athletes to push for the complete end to cannabis prohibition in their respective leagues. The NHL no longer lists cannabis as a banned substance, and the NHL has not suffered in any way as a result. Leagues like the NFL and NBA need to follow the example set by the NHL and treat its players with compassion and respect. More and more states are set to end cannabis prohibition and join the 8 states (and D.C.) that have already legalized cannabis. Professional sports leagues need to do the same and free the plant.
Cliff Robinson Joins The Connecticut Coalition To Regulate Marijuana
Cliff Robinson played on the University of Connecticut (UConn) men’s basketball team from 1985-1989, and led the Huskies to a NIT Championship in 1988. Robinson was named to the 1988 NIT All-Tournament team. Robinson was later selected to UConn’s ‘All-Century Men’s Basketball team,’ and had his college number (’00’) retired at Gampel Pavilion in 2007. Cliff Robinson is proud to be a Husky, and will always have a special place in his heart for the State of Connecticut.
Connecticut is a beautiful state that unfortunately has a cannabis prohibition problem. Other states in the region have voted to end cannabis prohibition already (Maine and Massachusetts), along with Washington D.C.. Vermont is on the verge of legalizing cannabis via legislative action, with a legalization bill sitting on the Governor’s desk awaiting his signature. Other states in the region such as Rhode Island and Delaware are taking a serious look at the idea of getting on the right side of history when it comes to cannabis policy.
Unlike other states that have legalized cannabis via a citizen initiative process, the only way to end cannabis prohibition in Connecticut is via the legislative process. An effort is underway in Connecticut, known as the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana, which is calling for the Connecticut Legislature to end cannabis prohibition in the state. Such a move would be supported by Connecticut voters according to polling. A 2015 survey by Quinnipiac University found that 63% of Connecticut voters support legalization, with only 34% opposed.
Cliff Robinson has joined the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana because it is a sensible move that would not only generate tax dollars and jobs in Connecticut, it would also help put an end to the social justice issues that come along with prohibition. Issues such as racial profiling and selective enforcement of prohibition laws, which result in disproportionate arrest rates for in minority and low income communities. Cannabis is 114 times safer than alcohol, and should be regulated in a similar fashion. Just as regulation helps keep alcohol away from children, so too will regulating cannabis help achieve the same objective. Cannabis is not going away in Connecticut, and there is no need to let cartels and gangs control the market, not when there is a better way.
Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize cannabis in 2012. Since that time both states have generated enormous sums of tax revenue from regulated adult-use cannabis sales. In 2016 alone the State of Colorado generated almost $200 million from cannabis taxes and fees, which is being used to fund all types of things from housing for the homeless, to schools, to addiction treatment programs. Washington State is predicted to generate an even larger amount of cannabis tax revenue in 2017 than Colorado. From a fiscal standpoint, and from a social justice standpoint, legalization is clearly working in both states.
Cliff Robinson is joined on the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana by many other respected community leaders:
Robert Hoffman – Former Chief of Police in Plainfield, CT
David Bingham, MD – Physician (retired)
Gregory Adams, PhD – Chair of Sociology Department at Southern Connecticut State University
Jim Miron, JD – Former Mayor of Stratford, CT
Aaron Romano, JD – Criminal Defense Attorney; Former Prosecutor
Jeff Miron, PhD – Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Economics at Harvard University
Ryan Safner, PhD – Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics at Hood College; UConn graduate
Cliff Thornton – Founder of Efficacy; 2006 Green Party Candidate for Governor
Marla Ackerley – Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Frank Mastri – Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC)
Kebra Smith-Bolden – Registered Nurse (RN)
Rev. Amanda Nelson – Clergy
Rev. Julia Burkey – Clergy
Rabbi Shaul Marshall Praver – Clergy
Rev. Hugh Haffenreffer – Clergy
Rev. Nichole Grant Yonkman – Clergy
Danielle Graham, JD – Attorney
Wildaliz Bermudez – Hartford City Councilwoman
A number of organizations and Connecticut media outlets have also endorsed the effort, with more being added all the time.
“I have seen the failures of cannabis prohibition in Connecticut firsthand. Cannabis prohibition disproportionately harms minority communities wherever prohibition exists, and Connecticut is no exception. The citizens of the great State of Connecticut deserve a better policy like the one that the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana is proposing. Other states have made similar moves with great success. Legalization clearly works and it’s beyond time for the Connecticut Legislature to step up and do what is right.” said Cliff Robinson.
Connecticut is facing a hug budget deficit. Cannabis can’t fill the entire void, but it can definitely help, both in the form of taxes generated and via the savings that come from no longer enforcing a failed public policy. The Uncle Cliffy team encourages others to join the effort in Connecticut. Free the plant!
Kyle Long Being Subjected To A ‘Random’ Drug Test Is Reefer Madness
Intimidation has been used to keep cannabis prohibition in place for decades. Various forms of intimidation have been used by cannabis opponents in an effort to send a chilling effect towards those that would want to invoke their First Amendment right to free speech. Simply talking about cannabis has historically been considered enough to establish just cause to wreak havoc on people’s lives.
It doesn’t just happen in society, it also happens in professional sports leagues. A prime example of that was on display recently when Chicago Bears lineman Kyle Long became the target of a ‘random’ drug test after tweeting about cannabis. Mr. Long was responding to the following question from another Twitter user – ‘Kyle what weed you on.’ Kyle Long replied with:
I don’t smoke weed it’s dangerous and addictive from what I’ve been told by my superiors https://t.co/04sM0FqAAc
— Kyle (@Ky1eLong) May 7, 2017
Kyle followed the tweet with ‘Pot is a drug, and will kill you.’ and an emoticon with sunglasses, indicating that he was joking. A few Twitter users tried trolling Kyle Long, which Kyle took in stride and responded back with:
“How to understand a joke” should be in your google search https://t.co/3XBjxS01OW
— Kyle (@Ky1eLong) May 7, 2017
One Twitter user made what seemed at the time to be a benign prediction:
@Ky1eLong *Gets hit with random drug test
— Nicks (@Nicks_214) May 7, 2017
Kyle Long responded with colorful language indicating he would pass a drug test if he was subjected to one. A reasonable person would not expect a grown adult like Kyle Long, who was obviously joking, to actually have to take a drug test. However, NFL league officials apparently did not think the joking was funny because Kyle Long was indeed hit with a ‘random’ drug test just days after his Twitter exchange, as documented in another tweet from Kyle Long’s Twitter account:
Come at me bro pic.twitter.com/Ax3EHkFxPK
— Kyle (@Ky1eLong) May 8, 2017
Mr. Long seemed very confident that he would pass the test, so fortunately for him it doesn’t appear to be an issue. However, the harmful nature of the NFL’s actions go well beyond just this one ‘random’ drug test. The NFL’s actions harm the ongoing conversation surrounding the improvement of the NFL’s cannabis policy, which has been called for not just by NFL players, but also by at least one prominent NFL owner.
By targeting Kyle Long, the NFL is sending a chilling effect over the league, essentially indicating that any player who even talks about cannabis can become the target of league drug testing. This should be concerning for all NFL players, even those that feel that they don’t have anything to hide. How can even a non-cannabis consuming player speak up and invoke their First Amendment right to free speech when they know that they will have to be drug tested as a result?
Even if a player doesn’t have anything to hide, they still may be subjected to the inhumane act that is involuntarily having one’s bodily fluid gathered by another person. That is a demoralizing experience, and no player should have to face such actions when they have done nothing more than speak their mind about an issue that is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans. Literally every NFL team is located in a state (or district in D.C.’s case) that has legalized cannabis in at least CBD-specific form. But in the NFL, cannabis is prohibited to the point that a player can’t even talk about cannabis. That’s ridiculous.
“We’re not talking about a player who is being questioned because of his actions, we are talking about a player who is being targeted because of his words alone. That sets a dangerous precedent that is completely counterproductive and is definitely not something that is being done with the players’ best interest in mind. The NFL’s cannabis policy involves players’ health, and that’s something that needs to be taken very seriously by the league. What the NFL did to Kyle Long is harmful to the greater conversation that is going on in the NFL right now, and that’s unacceptable.” said Cliff Robinson.
The NFL needs to do better. The NFL needs to recognize that this is a serious issue. NFL players, fans, owners, and all league officials deserve to have a constructive, meaningful conversation about cannabis policy that is unhindered by attempts to halt the free speech of NFL players.
image via Bear Goggles On
Cliff Robinson Endorses Oregon Senate Bill 307
Cliff Robinson is submitting the following written testimony in support of Oregon Senate Bill 307, which would provide for ‘regulation by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission of consumption and sale of cannabis items at temporary events, including licensure of premises on which temporary events are held.’:
***
Madame Chairs and Members of the Committee,
For the record my name is Cliff Robinson. I am a retired professional basketball player, having played a large part of my career with the great Portland Trail Blazers organization. During my 18 years in the NBA, I utilized cannabis medically, preferring a natural plant over narcotic painkillers. I have experienced its medical benefits personally and have witnessed the plant improve the lives of many athletes. Today, I am dedicating my life to the fight to allow professional athletes the ability to use cannabis, a much safer medicine than the prescription narcotics pushed upon Americans today.
It is a shame that decades of cannabis prohibition has forced too many athletes, and Americans across all demographics, to use more addictive and harmful substances, such as Oxycontin, and even abuse alcohol. It is no secret that prohibition has disproportionately harmed communities of color and people battling poverty, regardless of their skin pigmentation.
Oregon is helping lead the way beyond prohibition and I sincerely thank your work helping craft vast improvements, especially reducing criminal penalties and allowing for the expungement of past marijuana offenses. However, one area where Oregon could improve is providing for safe, private places where adults may responsibly consume cannabis.
That brings me here to support SB 307 for two very important reasons.
First, people of color are still disproportionately arrested and cited for marijuana offenses in legal states. A study of Seattle police enforcement’s arrest of public cannabis consumption has found that African Americans made up 36% of those arrested, while only comprising 8% of the city’s population. Racial disparities also have remained in Colorado as African Americans make up just 4.2% of the state’s population, but over 12% of the state’s marijuana arrests. Studies have shown that marijuana is used at the same rate across all races, so these arrest statistics are very troubling.
Secondly, adults in Oregon should have the ability to utilize cannabis responsibly, but landlord-tenant agreements, particularly Section 8 housing, limits the ability of many Oregonians to use cannabis in the privacy of their own homes. Again, these rental restrictions disproportionately impact communities of color and and Oregonians battling poverty, without the financial means to purchase their own home.
Low-income neighborhoods are likely to have more police patrols, leading to more marijuana charges for public smoking levied against people of color and those who can afford arrests and costly tickets the least. Senate Bill 307 is a sensible step forward to help avoid falling into the same pattern of African Americans disproportionately arrested and cited for marijuana, even in states that have legalized cannabis.
Thank you for your time and considering voting yes on Senate Bill 307.
Evidence:
1. “A preliminary analysis of Seattle police enforcement under new marijuana laws find that about 36 percent of those arrested for public pot use were African American, who are 8 percent of the city’s population.”
2. “A first stab at understanding the statewide relationship between race and the criminal justice system shows black men and women in Colorado were arrested or issued citations at a disproportionate rate last year, and were more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to receive prison sentences.”
http://www.denverpost.com/
3. “Police do patrol more in neighborhoods of color, and they also get more calls to respond in neighborhoods of color,” Keith Humphreys, who studies drug policy at Stanford University.
4. “Marijuana use is roughly equal among Blacks and whites, yet Blacks are 3.73 times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession.”
https://www.aclu.org/feature/
Most NFL Players Would Make The Safer Choice If Medical Cannabis Was Allowed
There has big push has been underway to try to convince the NFL to have some compassion for its players and allow them to use cannabis for medical purposes. As it stands the NFL prohibits cannabis use in all forms, even when the use is entirely medical in nature. No exceptions are made.
A sad example of that is the case of Seantrel Henderson from the Buffalo Bills. Seantrel was suspended 10 games after testing positive for cannabis. Mr. Henderson suffers from Crohn’s disease, and has had to undergo intestinal surgery twice which resulted in part of his intestines being removed. Seantrel Henderson uses medical cannabis to treat his condition instead of pills because pills are not an option given his surgeries (in addition to cannabis being safer and more effective).
Even after serving his suspension Seantrel will be forced to either retire or play up until he is suspended again for using his medicine. If the NFL will not make an exception for Seantrel Henderson, and have even gone as far as suspending him for double digit games, clearly the league will not make an exception for anyone. Where is the compassion for players?
Support for medical cannabis is strong among NFL players. An ESPN poll found that 71% of NFL players felt that medical cannabis should be legal in every state. A new poll asked 151 NFL players various questions, including if the NFL should defer to a players’ doctor on whether or not to use cannabis. The poll found an overwhelming 86.75% level of support for such a move. 74.34% said that they would consider using medical cannabis if the league made the policy change.
Every state where an NFL team is located has reformed its cannabis laws to at least allow possession and consumption of products that are high in cannabidiol (CBD), if not the whole plant. Indiana (Colts) was the last state to do so, with a CBD-specific bill being signed into law recently. 93% of Americans support medical cannabis legalization. Knowing this, why is the NFL so out of touch with the will of voters, fans, and players?
“With medical cannabis being legal in so many states, and so many studies showing that cannabis works, why is the NFL still prohibiting its players from using it for medical purposes? Cannabis is safer than opioid painkillers, which the NFL widely embraces, so why not let NFL players make the safer choice?” said Uncle Cliffy President Cliff Robinson.
Cannabis has been proven to treat all types of conditions, having been the subject of more studies than hydrocodone, toradol, and tylenol – combined. Why is the NFL clinging to a failed, racist policy instead of having some compassion for its players? Why not allow these grown adults, with the permission of their primary physicians, to use medical cannabis if they choose to do so? What is the harm?
image via Beyond the Game
Cowboys Leadership Expresses Further Support For Cannabis Reform In The NFL
The Dallas Cowboys were the most valuable team in professional sports in 2016 according to Forbes, being valued at roughly 4 billion dollars. With some young, talented players on their roster, the Dallas Cowboys are likely to be worth even more in the future. The Cowboys are often referred to as ‘America’s team’ due to their popularity, and for NFL fans, you likely either love the Cowboys or you hate them.
The owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, is one of the most high profile figures in the sports world. Mr. Jones has always been very outspoken, and never been one to shy away from controversy. Jerry is a larger than life figure and has been a staple of the NFL community for a long time. His opinion carries a lot of weight in the league. So it was a pleasant surprise when news broke early last month that Jerry Jones had expressed strong support for ending cannabis prohibition in the NFL.
Few details emerged from the meeting in which Jerry Jones had expressed support at, other than that it was a meeting for team owners, and that Jerry seemed very passionate about the need to reform the NFL’s cannabis laws. The news led to a lot of speculation and discussion, some constructive and some not. Clarification on the matter came today when Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones made extensive comments about the need to ‘heavily scrutinize’ the league’s cannabis policy and look for ways to better handle cannabis use by players. Per Dallas News:
“I think Jerry’s opinion, my opinion, is this program, this system has been in place for a long time. I think it needs to be heavily scrutinized in terms of its results.
“Is it helping players in terms of their accountability? And, obviously, addiction is a sickness and you want to make sure — obviously, there’s accountability but it’s also a program that helps players get better. I think personally, I know Jerry and I think that it might could be done better and we just need to take a look at it. Like I said, it’s been the same program that’s been in place for many, many years and I think all things to do with the NFL, we should all want the very best for our players. We should want the very best for our organizations and we should want the very best for our fans, and that’s anything that has to do with the NFL.
“In my opinion, we should take a long hard look at how we’re doing this and see if there’s a way, a better way to do it. What that is, I don’t have the answer. But we have a lot of smart people that can get in there and analyze something and really make some good decisions and see if there need to be changes.”
“When you re-look at the whole program, I think you should take a look at every aspect of it. From the testing to the discipline to the amounts, anything to do with this. At the end of the day our goal should be to help players who have sicknesses and addictions and make them better people off the field, and then how we go about that I think is what needs to be looked at and make sure we’re doing everything the best way we can do it. Obviously, when you look at something like that you have to look at, ‘How do we do it in society right now? How does that affect the way a player sees his situation in that lens?’ And then make decisions based on that.”
Cannabis prohibition has been in place in America since 1937. Use has not been eliminated, not by a long shot. The same is true in the NFL and other leagues that prohibit cannabis. Players are going to use cannabis, and rightfully so (assuming they are 21 or older). Cannabis is safer than alcohol, is safer than opioid painkillers, possesses numerous medical benefits, and has been studied more than Hydrocodone, Toradol, and Tylenol – combined.
Cannabis is legal for adult use in 8 states and Washington D.C.. Vermont is on the verge of legalizing cannabis for adult use via the legislative process. More states are gathering signatures for ballot initiatives for the 2018 election, such as Michigan. The NFL has a cannabis testing threshold that is more than four times as strict as the Olympics. Meaning that someone like Usain Bolt, who has tested positive for cannabis in the past, could have four times as much cannabis in his system as an NFL player and be fine, but the NFL player would be suspended even if the consumption was completely legal by some state’s standards. How does that make any sense?
The Uncle Cliffy team is hopeful that the conversation will continue, and that more professional sports teams’ leadership will step up in support of cannabis reform as the Dallas Cowboys have done. Cannabis prohibition doesn’t just harm the players, it harms the teams too. Fans want to see their athletes in competition, and not serving a suspension because of an outdated policy based off of the failed political views of the past. Obviously there is a better way. Free the plant!
image via ATTStadium.com
NIDA: Cannabis May Have A Role In Reducing Opioid Use
Late last week NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the claim that cannabis has no medical benefits, and stated that the NFL would continue to prohibit the use of cannabis by players, even when the use is for medical purposes, even in states where cannabis is legal for medical and/or adult-use purposes. The hard-line stance by the NFL against cannabis is not new, and therefore not surprising, but it is still extremely frustrating.
As Team Cliffy pointed out last week, cannabis has been proven to help treat all types of ailments, including brain injuries. That alone should be enough to convince the NFL and other leagues to end cannabis prohibition. Brain injuries are a big problem in professional sports, and if a substance that has been found to be 114 times safer than alcohol can help, then leagues should have some common sense and compassion and harness the substances’ wellness properties.
Another major issue that is plaguing professional sports is the widespread use of harmful opioid painkillers. Cannabis has been proven to help reduce the use of opioid painkillers. Some cannabis opponents such as Commissioner Roger Goodell may scoff at such a claim, but it is backed up by a number of studies. Even the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has recognized cannabis’ ability to reduce opioid use. The federal agency recently updated its website with information about cannabis and opioids, as first reported by MassRoots:
In a new update to a webpage on cannabis’s medical uses, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that “medical marijuana products may have a role in reducing the use of opioids needed to control pain.”
Reporting the results of studies that the agency funded, the revised NIDA page says that one “found an association between medical marijuana legalization and a reduction in overdose deaths from opioid pain relievers, an effect that strengthened in each year following the implementation of legislation.”
A second federally-funded study “showed that legally protected access to medical marijuana dispensaries is associated with lower levels of opioid prescribing, lower self-report of nonmedical prescription opioid use, lower treatment admissions for prescription opioid use disorders and reduction in prescription opioid overdose deaths.”
Many opponents in professional sports will point to federal cannabis prohibition as the main reason to try to keep players from using cannabis. But as you can see from the NIDA website update, the federal government recognizes that cannabis does indeed possess medical benefits, and that a major benefit is cannabis’ ability to reduce the use of opioid painkillers. It’s beyond time that professional sports leagues freed the plant and allowed players to take advantage of the wellness benefits that cannabis can provide.
“The NIDA website update reflects what many of us have already known for years – that the cannabis plant can help athletes reduce their reliance on harmful opioid painkillers. Pro sports leagues like the NFL and NBA need to look at the facts and let science determine league cannabis policies, instead of the outdated political views of a handful of league officials and owners. No athlete should be forced to use harmful opioid painkillers. Not when there is a safer, effective alternative.” said Cliff Robinson about the federal agency website update.
Cannabis is one of the most studied substances out there, having been the subject of more studies than common opioid painkillers like hydrocodone and toradol – combined. The mountain of evidence that cannabis can help athletes, and that prohibition has failed, is growing by the day. Professional sports leagues that prohibit cannabis need to take a meaningful look at their policies, and realize that cannabis prohibition is literally hurting players’ health.
Poll Results Show That It’s Time To End Cannabis Prohibition In Pro Sports
National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell made comments on Friday indicating that he continues to support keeping cannabis prohibited in the NFL. His comments included the claim that cannabis has ‘no medical benefits.’ Push back on the comments from cannabis supporters inside and outside of the NFL was swift. A number of media outlets reported Goodell’s comments as being ‘dangerous,’ ‘draconian,’ and ‘pure reefer madness.’
Roger Goodell’s comments put him square in the minority of Americans that believe that cannabis prohibition works. To prove that point, the Uncle Cliffy team has compiled polling results which clearly demonstrate that it’s time to end cannabis prohibition in professional sports.
Fans Respect Athletes That Choose To Make The Safer Choice
Marist College, in conjunction with Yahoo, conducted a poll in which sports fans were asked the following question – ‘Would you have more or less respect for your favorite sports athlete if you learned they used marijuana in their personal life? If it makes no difference please say so.’
A substantial 68% of poll participants expressed that if their favorite sports athlete consumed cannabis that it ‘makes no difference’ to the level of respect that they have for the athlete. An additional 3% stated that they would have more respect. Only 28% of poll respondents stated that they would have less respect for an athlete that consumes cannabis.
NFL Players Overwhelmingly Support Medical Cannabis Reform
ESPN polled NFL players to gauge their level of support for cannabis reform in the NFL. Among other findings, 71% of polled players stated that they feel that medical cannabis should be legal in all 50 states.
The poll did not specifically ask players if they supported medical cannabis legalization in the NFL, but the Uncle Cliffy team feels that it is a safe assumption that support for medical cannabis reform in society transfers over to sports. This is made evident by a recent push by the NFL Player’s Association to make a distinction between recreational and medical use in the NFL.
Legalization for medical purposes would not completely end cannabis prohibition in the NFL, but it would at least end prohibition for players that use cannabis for medical reasons, which the Uncle Cliffy team obviously supports.
Support Has Never Been Greater For Legalization At The National Level
CBS News recently released poll results which showed the highest level of support for cannabis legalization in America that they have ever recorded. A whopping 61% of poll participants stated that they support legalization.
These poll results show a level of support that is dramatically greater than in 1969 when Gallup Polling found that just 12% of Americans supported legalization. The more than 500% surge in support since 1969 is reflective of how much times have changed, and highlight how professional sports leagues that prohibit cannabis have failed to evolve with the dramatic increase in public support.
More Than 3 Out of 4 Sports Media Members Support Legalization In Pro Sports
A poll conducted by The Big Lead looked specifically at the level of support for cannabis reform among sports media members. An astounding 76.5% of poll participants stated that cannabis prohibition should end.
The results of this particular poll are interesting given the fact that sports media members literally have a front row seat to see how prohibition affects pro athletes, both from a health standpoint as well as a social justice standpoint. The huge level of support among sports media members is something that cannot be highlighted enough.
If A Player Can Consume Cannabis Legally In A State Then Leagues Should Allow It
A poll conducted by PRRI found that, “A majority (54%) of the public believe professional athletes should not be prohibited from using marijuana if they live in a state where it is legal.”
As the Uncle Cliffy team has pointed out previously, every Major League Baseball (MLB) team, National Basketball Association (NBA) team, and NFL team are now located in a state that has legalized cannabis in at least CBD-form. The State of Indiana (Pacers and the Colts) was the last remaining state that was a full prohibition state, but a CBD-specific bill was recently signed resulting in zero MLB, NBA, or NFL teams now being located in a 100% prohibition state.
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“The math speaks for itself.” Cliff Robinson said. “Cannabis prohibition provides no benefit to professional sports leagues, and a strong majority of fans, players, and even most members of sports media recognize that fact. It is time that professional sports leagues that prohibit cannabis did the same. These leagues need to get on the right side of history.”
Free the plant!