The NFL and NFL Players Association are continuing to fund research into the use of CBD for managing pain.
The league and the union announced today that their joint pain management committee has decided to tive two grants totaling $526,525 to medical researchers at Emory University and the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience that will explore alternative pain management methods.
Studies will investigate the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) as well as non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation on alleviating concussion symptoms, as well as mindfulness-based intervention in sports medicine injuries.
The NFL and NFLPA previously put $1 million into research into CBD as a pain relief alternative.
“We are always seeking new knowledge, techniques, and tools to ensure that NFL athletes are treated with the best possible care,” said NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills. “We are proud to lead the way on investigating how the use of CBD and other alternative measures could positively impact pain management for players. As within the broader scope of player health and safety, we want to ensure every treatment at our disposal clears the appropriate medical standard for wider use.”
The NFL still classifies cannabis as a banned substance, but CBD, which comes from cannabis but does not have an intoxicating effect, has been promoted as an alternative medicine that is often safer than prescribed painkillers.