The NFL announced that they would be awarding $1 million in research funding to two teams of medical researchers to study cannabinoid effects on athletes for pain management and neuroprotection.
Out of 106 proposals that the NFL initiated, the medical teams at the University of California San Diego and the University of Regina in Canada were selected to research cannabinoid effects. The $1 million grant is a move by the NFL to understand and improve pain management treatment alternatives.
The project’s overall goal is to determine whether cannabis/hemp-based cannabinoid products can be used safely and effectively for pain management to reduce the use of prescription medications like opioids. Additionally, the project will assess cannabinoid neuroprotective properties, potentially reducing the severity of chronic concussions in players.
“As with the league’s broader approach to health and safety, we want to ensure that our players are receiving care that reflects the most up-to-date medical consensus,” NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills stated in a press release. “While the burden of proof is high for NFL players who want to understand the impact of any medical decision on their performance, we are grateful that we have the opportunity to find these scientifically-sound studies on the use of cannabinoids that may lead to the discovery of data-based evidence that could impact the pain management of our players.”
According to the release, the grant money is the first per a request for research proposals by the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee. The request was initiated in June 2021, which was a part of 106 other submissions.
“The NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee is thrilled with the results of this process. We received over 100 proposals from top clinicians and researchers from around the world,” said Dr. Kevin Hill, who is the co-chair of the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee. “The NFL is eager to advance the science of pain management and performance in an effort to improve the health and safety of the players.”
The use of cannabis or hemp-based cannabinoid products is still banned in the NFL during football season, though the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement specified the NFL will no longer test players for the chemicals found in cannabis between April 20 and August 9 each year. No athletes from the NFL may participate in the study. The overall project is expected to take three years to conduct.
