The United States is in the midst of reformation with changing marijuana laws, and professional sporting leagues, especially for the teams established where the drug is now legal for medicinal and recreational uses, should too.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he would support the evolution of using marijuana as medicine, as the drug can help dull pain and relax athletes from the stress of games and being a celebrity.
It is no secret that many NFL players smoke marijuana, as players are suspended for failing drug tests every season. ESPN analyst and former offensive tackle Lomas Brown said in 2012 that he believes more than 50 percent of NFL players use marijuana, which is a decrease from when he played 1985 — he believes 90 percent of the league was using the drug then. Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll also expressed support for the legalization of the drug in the league, believing the NFL should consider it if it helps players.
Instead of spending the resources for random marijuana tests, the NFL could instead regulate and synthesize marijuana for use by its players. I’d rather see athletes use marijuana that is prescribed by doctors and regulated through the government to ensure a safer product than drugs that come from unknown sources. But there will be no progress made in the NFL when it comes to allowing players to use marijuana until it becomes legal across the United States.
We hold our athletes to a higher standard, and we expect them to be able to perform at an elite level.
Von Miller battled charges and suspensions from marijuana use most of last season, which drew plenty of negative attention to the Denver Broncos. This all happened before Colorado officially legalized the recreational use of marijuana, but now that it is legal, why do Von Miller and other athletes in Colorado and Washington have to be tested for the drug if it is legal?
The answer obviously comes from the federal laws that prohibit marijuana. Athletes are able to use other substances that can harm them, such as alcohol and tobacco products, which can also affect on-field performances if a player develops an addiction. Because athletes are allowed to use other substances, they should be allowed to use marijuana for recreational and medicinal reasons where it’s legal.
The key for substances like these is moderation, and athletes live a life where they take careful consideration of everything they put in their bodies. Professional sports leagues should trust athletes, like all other citizens are trusted by their employers ,to act responsibly.
I believe that marijuana should be legal for recreational use in the United States, especially because we allow for the use of tobacco products and the consumption of alcohol, both of which alter a persons state of mind and can cause health problems when abused.
@PaulHolden33
