Majority Of NFL Players Use Cannabis, Chiefs' Travis Kelce Explains How They Pass Drug Tests

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce who was once kicked off his college team for testing positive for marijuana said that nowadays a majority of National Football League (NFL) players are using cannabis.

One of NFL legends, whose brother Jason Kelce is playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, told Vanity Fair that he was "embarrassed" for failing the test back then, which resulted in a suspension and a lost college season.

However, as regulations around cannabis continue to evolve and legalization gains momentum, the NFL is finally taking notice. Following adjustments to NFL's cannabis policy, players now face reduced penalties for testing positive for marijuana after rules were amended in 2021 that oblige players to undergo one weed test per year at the start of training camp.

"If you just stop (using) in the middle of July, you're fine," Kelce said. "A lot of guys stop a week before and they still pass (drug tests) because everybody's working out in the heat and sweating their tail off. Nobody's getting hit for it anymore."

He estimates that between 50% to 80% of the league's players are now using cannabis, building on previous estimates by former tight end Martellus Bennett, who suggested that 89% of players consume it, according to USA Today.

Why Such A High Rate Of Cannabis Use?

One of the reasons is likely the fact that cannabidiol (CBD) is a proven alternative to opioids for pain treatment.

Former NFL great Jim McMahon treated his immense pain with opioids and other painkillers until he turned to cannabis after retiring from a 15-season career.

And he's not alone. Latest to join "team cannabis" is veteran wide receiver DeSean Jackson who agreed on Tuesday to become a featured spokesperson and stakeholder for Pineapple, INC.'s Pineapple Wellness brand of CBD products.

In a progressive move last year, the league authorized $1 million in grants to fund studies focusing on the efficacy of marijuana and its components in pain management and neuroprotection for football players with concussions.

Last week, the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) expressed their continued support for research of CBD as an alternative pain treatment for players.

"Continuing the commitment to providing the best care for players, the @NFL and @NFLPA have jointly awarded $526,525 in grants to researchers with @ASPN_PainNeuro and @emoryhealthcare to study alternative pain management methods, including CBD," the NFL tweeted.

Photo: Benzinga edit of image by Wikimedia Commons and Matthew Brodeur on Unsplash