Why Jake Plummer and others are pushing for research on CBD’s benefits to NFL players
By Nicki Jhabvala
Check out the April 24, 2016 article (Game of Pain, Part 1. CBD Hope?) in the Denver Post on why former Broncos’ quarterback Jake Plummer and other retired and active NFL players believe Cannabidiol, or CBD, a nonpsychoactive compound in cannabis, could be an alternative to potent painkillers used by players in the league. The mission of their campaign — “When the Bright Lights Fade” — is to work with researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania to study football players’ use of cannabinoids and the body’s tolerance of them long term. This old laxbro attackman (pictured below scoring a goal in his Boulder men’s Lacrosse League) could use some CBD himself for his creaky old knees that rival those of Mark “Stinky” Schlereth.
“Do we have the silver bullet? Do we have the remedy? I don’t know,” Plummer said. “I sure would like to find out.”
When the Bright Lights Fade
A group of retired NFL players, led by former Broncos Nate Jackson and Jake Plummer, as well as current Ravens tackle Eugene Monroe, have teamed with CW Botanicals, and its non-profit partner, the Realm of Caring, in an effort to raise at least $100,000 to fund initial studies of CBD.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania will join forces to survey about 20 current and 20 former NFL players regarding whether they’ve used CBD, as well as their injury and medical history. Once they get the data the researchers will design a study on how the body processes CBD in an effort to see how much CBD players can safely consume long term.
The ultimate goal of the “When the Bright Lights Fade” campaign is to implement a more expansive clinical study on CBD and its potential in treating symptoms of concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
“CTE and concussions are the big thing right now. That’s what everyone is talking about in the media and the real focus in terms of player health. But from my perspective, I want to know about everything,” said Dr. Ryan Vandrey, a professor of behavioral pharmacology at Johns Hopkins and one of the lead researchers for the studies. “I want to know about pain, I want to know about post-surgery issues, I want to know about concussions and post-concussion symptoms. I want to know about former players and the behavioral health-related things that have been associated with CTE.”
