The cannabis industry has long looked to major league sports as a hallmark for revenue comparison.
Historically, NIDA’s research mandate has been to reinforce why a substance like cannabis is so deleterious to human beings and society that it should be maintained as a Schedule I controlled substance, defined as having no therapeutic benefit, no medicinal benefit, and a high potential for abuse.
A cannabinoid such as cannabinol can be derived from both legal definitions of cannabis — marijuana or industrial hemp — and is now being used in pharmaceutical drugs, like Epidiolex.
The NFL isn’t talking about advertising cannabis.
Over the last few years, the NHL has taken a progressive stance toward cannabis, and in 2019 the NHL alumni association signed an agreement with a Canadian cannabis company to determine whether it can help ex-players quit opioids.
In 2017, the medical journal JAMA published a study that found CTE was present in 99% of deceased NFL players’ brains that were donated to scientific research.
Beyond traumatic injuries, there’s also the potential for muscle recovery and relief from inflammation.
The league is now putting pressure on the federal government, not unlike Amazon, which just threw public support for the MORE Act to advance marijuana legalization in the United States.
The therapeutic potential of cannabis has also been advocated by Athletes for CARE, a 501 nonprofit organization founded in 2017, led by former players finding support, opportunity, and purpose in life by using their influence for social change.
Hopefully, this small investment will give them the confidence to integrate cannabis into their other research initiatives as well, such as the hundreds of millions of dollars they have invested in head trauma research.
We’re seeing once again mainstream business take a step of action in the absence of sensible policy from the federal government — this can create a turning point.
We represent industry titans around the globe, with offices in seventeen states and ten nations, continually positioning clients to thrive in this burgeoning global industry.
In addition to being credited for creating the class of lawyers now known as “cannabis attorneys,” my legal strategies, litigation matters, and policy efforts executed on behalf of clients have been responsible for the establishment and growth of the CBD industry.