League Commissioner Oliver Luck Speaks to the press. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
As reported (as a rumor) last summer by Pro Football Talk, Oliver Luck confirmed today on “The Yak with Barstool Big Cat” on Barstool Radio’s Sirius XM Channel (85) that marijuana will not be on the league’s drug test.
#XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck on Barstool Sports Yak Radio Show
“What’s the drug testing policy like?”
“Our drug testing policy includes PEDs, but it does not include Marijuana.”
A day after the XFL announced that there would be a female official on every crew, they continue to set themselves apart from past and current professional football leagues. The recent legislature loosening the reigns on marijuana use across the nation has been a hot topic and a key talking point amongst NFL players.
The XFL will now be a sandbox for the positive attributes and health benefits found in marijuana and CBD use including pain relief, assistance with depression and anxiety, among others.
Additionally, the XFL now becomes be an alternative for NFL players who currently use or have had past legal issues with marijuana use, including current Tampa Bay Viper wide receiver, Antonio Callaway. This may also open the door for talented players like former Seahawk and Patriots WR Josh Gordon, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL this past December.
Look, I grew up in Denver right as we started legalizing it, so I’m bored of weed jokes
But the @xfl2020 allowing players to partake is a positive move for player health. CBD supplements can help players recover faster and more fully, it’s a big step forward for player rights
Currently, THC (found in marijuana and most CBD products) is included and punishable with their current drug test policy. They have had ongoing conversations about CBD usage but maintain the stance that there is not currently enough research to back the medicinal benefits.
Former NFL tight end and New England Patriots superstar, Rob Gronkowski, partnered with CBDMD after his playing career ended and has noted that it has helped with pain relief and the symptoms of CTE. Gronkowski was introduced to CBD by his father and is now an advocate for the benefits it brings.
“I’ve been hearing a lot about [CBD], starting this year … My first true experience with it — when I was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, this stuff works!’ — is when I jammed my three toes [playing soccer] and they were black and blue. I throw the [CBDMedic] cream on and, boom, it temporarily relieved the pain. I got to go through the rest of my day, put the shoes back on — because if you’ve got stubbed toes and put your shoe on, you’re going to start walking a different way …
I knew right then and there, I was like, ‘Dang, this stuff works.’ [And] I was looking for something like that to help me relieve the pain that I’m in from doing activities and sports.” Gronkowski told CNBC.
Additionally, former NFL players like Calvin Johnson, Rob Sims, Terrell Davis, Lofa Tatupa among others have become advocates for CBD usage in the NFL. Oliver Luck and the XFL clearly have a different game-plan surrounding their players and the structure of the league.
Follow me on twitter at @AlexMcKinnonXFL and let me know what other rules and guidelines make sense for the league moving forward. The season kicks off on February 8th and will have a 10-week regular season.
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