Current NFL CBA proposal goes soft on marijuana penalties
By Brian Miller
The NFL and the NFLPA are reportedly closing in on a new CBA that could get done relatively soon and now it seems that marijuana will be a part of that deal.
For years, since the institution of testing for pot, the NFL has opted to suspend players for testing positive for THC, former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams knows this all too well. Now under the possible new CBA, the NFL is going to go a lot lighter with its penalties for positive testing.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the league will eliminate game suspensions tied to failed tests of THC.
The proposed CBA also reduces penalties for players who test positive for THC, eliminating any game suspensions strictly for positive tests. So no more getting banned strictly for smoking weed.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 21, 2020
This is probably the best thing that the NFL can do and frankly it is long overdue. Personally, I have never tried it but our country is allowing it for personal use and medical use legally in some states so why should the NFL fine and suspend players for using it?
Furthermore, allowing the use of marijuana will help medically with players that are currently using pain killers to help deal with pain from playing the game.
Marijuana is one of the most used drugs in the country if not the world but the effects of the drug are considered far less than tobacco smoking and lately vaping. It is time that the league steps into the current world. It should still be monitored. While players have spoken about using it prior to playing games.
The new CBA is going to have a lot of changes, hopefully, when it is all said and done, this will be one of them.