Super Bowl Champ: CBD Can Solve NFL's Opioid Problem
*By Jacqueline Corba*
CBD has the potential to combat two of the biggest health issues plaguing former NFL athletes: CTE and opioid abuse.
That's according to former NFL player and Super Bowl champion Marvin Washington, who is calling on the league to introduce a medical marijuana program.
"If we don't get our hands around this opioid addiction, we are going to lose a generation," Washington told Cheddar's CannaBiz Tuesday. "I believe CBD is a neural protectant for the brain and, as pain management, will go a long way in stopping this epidemic that we have."
Former NFL players trying to manage chronic pain use opioid drugs in retirement four times more than the general population, [according to a 2011 study.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3095672/) Cannabis could be a potential substitute. There's also new evidence it could [help the treatment of CTE,] (https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/07/12/cannabis-cte-treatment-kannalife) a degenerative disease linked to repetitive brain trauma.
Washington's calls for action come even as broad medical marijuana research faces hurdles. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the [Controlled Substance Act,](https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml) putting it in the same category as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.
And while 29 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized medical use of the substance, the Food and Drug Administration had only approved two treatments made from synthetic versions of marijuana ingredients.
That changed this week when the [agency granted its first approval to a medication that contains a pure derivative of cannabis.](https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm611046.htm) Epidiolex, a CBD oral solution manufactured by the UK's GW Pharmaceuticals, can now be used to treat two severe and rare forms of epilepsy.
"This approval serves as a reminder that advancing sound development programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies," FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a statement Monday.
The FDA will review more applications for CBD treatments, and Gottlieb said the agency will continue to support research on other potential medical uses for marijuana-derived products.
That could open up a big door.
"Due to federal illegality there hasn't been a lot of substantive research in this area," legal expert Lauren Estevez told Cheddar Tuesday. "So this is something that can be really unpacked over the next few years."
CBD, a chemical component of the Cannabis sativa plant, is legal in the states that have approved medical or recreational marijuana, and there's also some form of legalized CBD in seventeen other states.
Washington, who competed in the NFL for 11 years and won his Super Bowl ring, perhaps appropriately, with the Denver Broncos in 1999, predicts the league will introduce a sensible medical cannabis program in 2020 when the Collective Bargain Agreement is up.
"I think this is going to be player-driven, this is going to be a grass roots type of movement to get cannabis, hemp, and CBD, and all the medicinal benefits of this plan into the NFL," said Washington.
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/former-nfl-player-marvin-washington-on-cbd-for-pain-relief)
Cheddar's Big Game Special gives you all the info you need heading into Sunday's event. Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis, Big Game MVP Hines Ward, and Big Game Champion Emmanuel Sanders dissect the action set to take place on the field, Olivia Harlan Dekker delivers her winning wagers, Tom Morton breaks down what we should expect from advertisers, Azia Celestino showcases the atmosphere from Los Angeles, and Baker Machado discusses what viewers should expect to see unfold during the halftime show.
NFL Legends Hines Ward and Terrell Davis join Cheddar Bets to break down their thoughts on The Big Game, what it takes to win under the spotlight, and the matchup between some of the league's brightest stars.
Sponsored by BetMGM
As the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams prep to face each other in the Big Game at SoFi Stadium in LA, 55 percent of a record number of bettors are projected to drop money on the Rams. Casey Clark, the senior vice president of strategic communications for the American Gaming Association, joined Cheddar News to share some data and predictions based on the greater interest in gambling on Super Bowl LVI. "You know that means that people are migrating away from the predatory illegal market and corner bookie and moving their action into the legal marketplace," he said. "So really encouraging for consumer protections and for those of us who might want to have a little action on the game."
Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders joins Cheddar Bets to discuss The Big Game, playing in some legendary games, and what the NFL needs to change about their rules.
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Under Armour released a successful Q4 earnings report amid supply chain issues. The apparel company said it invested in analytics to decipher what drives consumers to its brand. However, the company warned of potential supply problems going forward due to COVID.
Hyperice is a technology company that specializes in physical recovery for athletes, and it's now partnering with the NFL. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers running back and Hyperice athlete-investor, and Jim Huether, Hyperice CEO, joined Cheddar News to discuss the partnership. "It's definitely for both for performance and for recovery, as somebody who plays a brutal sport and have to go through some of the unfortunate realities of injury," McCaffery said of the products. "You're always fighting for that 0.1 percent difference between winning and losing and and the little things and every second matters."
Showtime series 'Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber' tells the roller coaster ride of Silicon Valley's most successful and most destructive company, Uber. 'The Battle For Uber' is the first of the 'Super Pumped' anthology series in which each new season will explore a true business story that changed our culture in one way or another. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, joins Cheddar News to discuss the series.
The Super Bowl is only a few days away, and the game is currently tracking to be the most expensive one ever.
Gametime, a website and app for last-minute tickets, says the average ticket price for the NFL's championship game is $9,502.50, with the most expensive seats costing nearly $38,000. That's a far cry away from the average ticket price of the first-ever Super Bowl in 1967, which was only $12. The average ticket price increased by more than $8,000 in just the past decade. Matt Rados, Senior Operations Manager at Gametime, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Miller Lite is opening the first branded bar in the metaverse, by way of Decentraland, as a way to advertise during the Super Bowl this year without buying an expensive TV commercial slot. Sofia Colucci, global vice president of Miller Family of Brands, joined Cheddar to talk about the new marketing concept. "We have a lot of great partnerships with NFL teams throughout the year but were shut out of advertising during the Super Bowl game, so this pushes us to think creatively and also think of what feels really relevant right now," Colucci said. "There's no question that there's a lot of excitement with the metaverse, and we wanted to participate but in a way that felt right for Miller Lite."
