Ravens tackle Eugene Monroe has been a bit of a voice in the wilderness when it comes to advocating for the medicinal use of marijuana in the NFL, as many players are likely leery of taking a stand for something the league has been so steadfastly against.
But Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy has added his voice to the cause, agreeing that anything that cuts into the reliance on potentially addictive opioid painkillers would be a good thing for players.
“I think it’s something that needs to be addressed,” Levy said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I know players, former, current and it was a time where it was very, very easy to get as many painkillers as you needed, as many sleeping pills as you needed. And if we’re talking about the health of our players, past their playing career, I think it’s definitely something that needs to at least be acknowledged and something looked into as there’s a lot of viable and growing body of research supporting it.”
“And if we’re talking about the health of our players, past their playing career, I think it’s definitely something that needs to at least be acknowledged and something looked into as there’s a lot of viable and growing body of research supporting it.”
Levy has reason to think of the long-term implications, having just recovered from a hip injury which required season-ending surgery. He decided to push through his rehab without using opioid painkillers, which he had used in the past.
“I stay away from pills,” Levy said. “That’s a bigger issue, but I try to stay away from them. It’s too easy to prescribe. Painkillers. Toradol. It’s just putting a Band-Aid on something, but we’re potentially developing a bigger issue for players when they’re done.”
Like Monroe, Levy has the benefit of a second contract to give him the security to say things fringe players may not be willing to. And like Monroe, he’s concerned whether enough is being done to keep players safe — when they leave the field as well as when they’re trying to stay on it.