No Pot For Pain, NFL Says, But Some Players Don't Agree
DENVER (CBS4) - NFL players are banned from using marijuana for recreational or self-medicating purposes, but former players say the league needs to re-evaluate its policies.
Nate Jackson, who played tight end for the Broncos for six years, spoke to CBS News about the pain the game inflicted on his body and how he sought relief from marijuana.
"Pain is constant when you play professional football for a living -- it's daily pain," he said. He said that after taking the hardest hit in his career in a game against Cleveland in 2008, doctors prescribed Vicodin, a common pain medication.
But Jackson opted for marijuana instead.
"I medicated with marijuana during that time," he said. "I didn't take the pain pills. I wanted to medicate with herbs of my own choosing."
He retired from the NFL in 2009 and soon spoke out about the NFL's no-pot-for-pain policy. The NFL said it won't change its policy until studies advise a shift.
See the complete CBSNews.com report here.