Who cares?! Am I right, what’s the big deal if the NFL doesn’t want to support marijuana. It’s a personal stance on the use of cannabis. Well let me stop you there. To me, it is a big deal that one of the largest and most socially influential companies in the United States will not take a progressive world view stance. I also don’t believe that for a majority of medical marijuana its more than just a personal stance, it’s a reason why some people feel the need to move to certain states when they are severely sick! This is a larger issue than it will be more available for people just rolling up a joint in a high school parking lot. Let’s be honest it’s more like roll one up after work because it helps you sleep or your back hurts am I right!? These are doctors who have found information of the use of medical marijuana over opioids in some patients and its vast benefits and the NFL does not want to show that on the most televised sporting events in the US and talked about through the world. This probably closely effects most of you reading this article. You might know it on both ends, the addiction side of opioids and overdose as well as terminally ill side of the issue. Feel like a big deal yet? That’s what I’m trying to say! I will try my best to keep this as close to the topic of the NFL and why they are bumming me out about this but be fair warned. I am closely affected by this and very passionate about this progressive topic so forgive me.
The issue with the NFL not taking a stance on this is not that its surprising, it’s that it is yet another chance for them to be at the forefront of an issue and they want to take a view point from 50 years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I would be upset with any company that would deny the information that doctors and scientist have come up in recent years to be paid for and aired on TV. It’s not going to be some recreational tasteless ad about weed and getting the munchies with buddies, this is a medical based marijuana and CBD benefits commercial. We are trying to end an opioid crisis and it looks like we found a way in a good percentage of patients. Why would the NFL want to take a stand against that? When they run a league littered with injury crushed players and signs of CTE severity on the rise? I will answer that for you, because it touches on a hot button issue and the NFL is tired of having to deal with backlash. Yes, I am saying if they aired that commercial there would be backlash. 100% there would be in my mind because the world and US is not ready to have a very real and serious talk about the use of Marijuana correctly. Not to mention the benefits of CBD and THC to Opioids. That’s fine, the NFL should embrace that backlash! Stop making decisions based on old school thinking! Why am I mad? Because the NFL had a layup to take a stance on something finally a bit on the cutting edge and they fell on their face.
I don’t think this will be an issue in 30 years. We will look back at this article when I am an amazing, published author and talking head on some major network and laugh that this was even an issue. States by the handful are joining us in MA to decriminalize it and make it available for medicinal purposes. We are up to 32 states, we are damn near getting nationally decriminalized. So again, I will try to keep this to the NFL, why not show this? A majority of the viewers are going to be cannabis users! 55 million Americans admitted to the current use of recreational or medical marijuana in a 2017 Washington Post study. Put it in perspective, that’s around 22%. Nearly half of Americans have tried it at least once in their life. These numbers are going up as states legalize and decriminalize it. My point is, 30 years from now this will be a non-issue. Law makers, voting, studied users, and even straight up science is just showing us that the medical uses of marijuana has benefits. For some patients amazing benefits, and they should have the chance to get access to that.
I know there is also a contingency out there who doesn’t smoke or use marijuana ever and it’s a nonissue for them. Well guess what, it’s an issue for you too for a simple reason, money. Colorado is the perfect example and the model I want to reference since it was recently reported in 2018. They saw over a billion dollars in legalized marijuana sales. That’s Billion with a B. Recreational Marijuana is subject to 3 different taxes, all adding up to around 33%. So there you go. One year Colorado instantly has 330 Million more dollars as a state to fix schools, street lights, roads, sidewalks, parks, pay city officials, public transit, cops, firefighters, city clerks, sanitary workers, social workers… do I need to keep going?! These things matter. The influx of money matters. It changes your everyday life when your city or country has more money. I don’t need to write an article on that. So financially, even if you don’t use marijuana, you don’t know anyone who uses marijuana, you don’t know someone who is sick, or don’t know someone suffering from opioid addiction then you should still want this commercial to air. See what I did there, basically included everyone in this list. Now hopefully you all still follow me and I haven’t lost everyone yet because I’m going to bring home why the NFL should be embarrassed to not want to show a medical marijuana commercial.
You will see nothing but alcohol and food commercials the WHOLE TIME! The NFL wants to act like airing a medical marijuana commercial might send off the wrong message. Ok so ill stuff my face with fatty foods and consume alcohol while sitting on a couch. Obesity and alcoholism are issues too. Now I’m not saying don’t show me a bud light commercial because I love watching frogs talk or nostalgic horses do the same. Just don’t sensor a commercial for a real issue that I would like the NFL and Americans to address. It’s weird that the NFL is ok with taking money from McDonalds that has medical studies to prove its unhealthy and Budweiser where alcohol abuse and drunk driving affects Americans as much as any other substance abuse disease. These are things they have no problem showing and promoting, even partnering with. But someone wants to buy air time to promote medical marijuana then you start to flex morals. The side of the argument I am on needs help, the legalization of marijuana is closer than ever, but still far away. Out of the 32 legal states, the stigma of being a pot smoker as a negative connotation is very real as well as the hoops patients need to jump through to get access is insane. Also, nationally we are at a 47% opposed and 48% with for voting. That leaves 5% of Americans undecided who can swing the national vote. That’s HUGE for national taxes and getting us out of debt. Ask yourself, if a commercial during the super bowl would help bring attention to that cause and sway votes or not. I think it would a ton
All that being said, I’m a relative nobody sitting in an apartment in Boston MA and I can see that the NFL should be on the forefront of an issue that most likely will get there no matter what. They’re thinking old school so they are appealing to the old school demographic. If the NFL wants to be progressive and appeal to a younger audience, then they should do things like air Medical Marijuana commercials. If they want to go this “old school boys club” mentality around the NFL they we will continue to have more of the same. I was hoping things would change after fighting CTE cases and the medical discovery of head issues from recent years and after being behind on domestic abuse and players violating the conduct policy in the NFL. With Opioid use in ex athletes showing to be a major issue. And finally, with cancer being such a terrible epidemic and effecting people at an alarming rate you’d that the NFL would want to be in the front of it. I guess I was wrong, I guess it’s the same old same old at the NFL. It’s a shame, I wanted more out of the company and product we all consume so much, but I guess that went up in smoke.
