Let's Talk About Legalizing Weed in the NFL, Shall We?

It’s 4/20. So, I think it’s a good day to revisit one of my favorite hot button topics: legalizing Mary Jane in the NFL.

Side note: I wish I could take credit for my “hungry, happy, sleepy” line in that TV hit. But then I would just be a fraud.

46 states have legalized it in some form. Recreational use is legal (we’d never promote something illegal here) in nine states and counting. Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Washington state and Vermont, as well as Washington DC. For those interested in such things. But I digress…

In case you’ve forgotten, Martellus Bennett said 89% of NFL players smoke weed.

It’s the NFL’s turn to legalize it.

It’s been a conversation for a while now and it’ll only continue to grow the more states that jump on board, too. Our good buddy Roger Goodell spoke on it last year last year.

Via Mike and Mike (RIP) – “I think you still have to look at a lot of aspects of marijuana use. Is it something that can be negative to the health of our players? You’re ingesting smoke, so that’s not usually a positive thing. It does have an addictive nature,” Goodell said. “There are a lot of compounds in marijuana that might not be healthy for players long term. It’s not as simple as someone just wants to feel better after a game.”

First of all, Roger, let’s not act like you’re actually concerned about players health long term. That’s just laughable.

Second of all, there’s a train of thought out there that marijuana is, in fact, NOT incredibly physically addictive. I’ll buy that you can get mentally addicted to it, sure. It’s a more-than-proven fact that there are plenty of medical benefits to it. But I’m no scientist, so what do I know.

But you know what IS incredibly addictive and not healthy for players long term? Opioids. Painkillers. Self-medicating with legal drugs to control the pain that comes along with getting hit by massive human beings for a living.

But of course, let’s just skip over those issues. Right, NFL?

I understand that where it stands right now, weed is illegal in the league. So if guys smoke it, they shouldn’t be surprised when they get suspended for failing drug tests. It’s a rule. A dumb one, but nevertheless a rule.

HOWEVER. Even if they don’t legalize it, the NFL’s war on marijuana is flat out stupid. Josh Gordon getting a year and Ray Rice getting two games makes zero sense to most people with a functioning brain. The list of hypocritical examples like that continues to grow too.

But I’m not surprised.