Pubdate: Fri, 30 Oct 2015
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24

MARIJUANA IS NOT A CURE-ALL FOR NFL PLAYERS

There is a flip side to the benefits of chronic pot use, whether it 
is for alleviating pain or simply for the pleasures of getting high. 
That other story can be described in two words: Tyrann Mathieu

Former National Football League players lined up supporting legalized 
medical marijuana at the Southwest Cannabis Convention in Phoenix 
this week, which isn't exactly surprising.

A lot of football players smoke pot, regardless of league policies 
forbidding it. A widely circulated story from the online 
Bleacherreport.com last summer included numerous testimonials from 
former players who are convinced the drug helps alleviate the 
ever-present aches and pains that NFL players must live with.

"When I played, 40 to 50 percent of the league used it," said former 
running back Jamal Anderson. "It's at least 60 percent now."

At the convention in Phoenix, players-turned-pot activists said much 
the same thing.

"Cannabis should have been implemented into my recovery process," 
said former player Kyle Turley, who spoke about his concussions and 
knee injuries. "My career would have been much longer and I would not 
have to suffer through the pitfalls of my career and my life."

All that may be true for Turley, although the scientific evidence 
supporting the medical value of marijuana remains thin.

Even so, there is an undeniable flip side to chronic pot use, whether 
it is for alleviating pain or simply for the pleasures of getting 
high. That other story can be described in two words:

Tyrann Mathieu.

Marijuana use nearly destroyed the promising football career of 
Mathieu, whose rise to stardom as an Arizona Cardinal coincided with 
his commitment to marijuana-free sobriety.

For Mathieu, chronic pot smoking brought on a raft of woes, including 
paranoia and confusion that got him kicked off the Louisiana State 
University football team, tossed in jail and dropped as a top NFL draft choice.

Mathieu himself attributed his poor performance in the 2012 BCS 
championship game to his marijuana consumption. His revival, aided by 
his good friend Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals, is a heartwarming 
story of determination and commitment that began with kicking the 
marijuana habit for good.

Does marijuana take the edge off NFL-level pain? Maybe. In some 
cases. But it definitely has contributed to the downfall of countless 
other players like Mathieu.

Something to keep in mind when listening to those heartfelt 
testimonials at the cannabis convention.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom