The use of weed has been a highly debated topic in the United States for a while now. There have been arguments about the pros and cons of weed and how it can be used in other fields such as the medical field. As weed becomes legal in more states across the U.S., the debate on the use of marijuana has grown since. In the recent weeks, the weed debate has been shifted to the world of sports as some athletes from the major American pro sports leagues came out and admitted to using marijuana during their careers.
Athletes and coaches from the NBA and NFL have recently admitted to using marijuana to treat injuries, recreational use, and even as a competitive edge in games. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was one of the first coaches to admit to using marijuana. He admitted to using marijuana twice in the last 18 months to treat his chronic back pain after suffering a spinal fluid leak during his surgery to repair a ruptured disk. Kerr voiced his opinion on the use of marijuana in sports and agreed that if used for the right reasons, marijuana can be a very useful remedy for sports injuries.
Even former NBA player Chauncey Billups admitted that he used to encourage his teammates to use marijuana to help them relax and focus on the game plan so they can play better. He also agreed with Steve Kerr's comments on the benefits of players using the substance to help themselves recover from injuries.
And although the benefits seem to far outweigh the drawbacks, many of the major pro leagues in the United States still maintain their strong stance against marijuana. And this is where the conundrum occurs.
Sports leagues such as the NFL maintain a strict policy against substance abuse. If players violate this substance abuse policy, they can face fines and suspensions. And while weed is mostly popular with helping people get "high", the medical benefits are also very important. Marijuana can be used as a pain reliever, stress reliever, and even a cancer treatment option. And leagues continue to ban this substance, but apparently seem ok with their players drinking and smoking cigarettes which can greatly damage your breathing.
Not to mention that instead of allowing players to use marijuana for pain relief, they inject them with substances that can harm the player's health in the long run.
So while marijuana continues to be a taboo substance in sports leagues, the benefits of the substance on athletes will continue to cause a debate about the use of the substance for the future of sports medicine.
