The NFL and NFL Players Association currently have a strict policy prohibiting any use of marijuana. Many players have began asking for reconsideration of this rule, seeing as cannabis can be used for pain relief, and possibly concussion prevention.

Signing up for professional football essentially is associated with signing up for chronic pain. It is not a light sport on the body, and consequentially, your body is often in pain.

More and more players have begun turning to marijuana for pain relief, despite risking punishment from the NFL.

Although there are existing ways to manage pain, many players are seeing quick signs of addiction and potential for overdoses. Coaches pushing these painkillers onto players to get them back on the field is effectively doing more harm than good at this point.

Like many others, NFL officials are looking for more research and scientific developments that explain both the benefits and downsides of using the drug before the make any official changes.