Marijuana usage "could emerge as a key issue" when the NFL's CBA is "renegotiated over the next few years," according to 10 owners and execs cited by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Each of the owners "support additional study and discussion regarding what the league's stance should be on medical and recreational pot use for players." Two of the principals involved in the issue said that they are "open to getting rid of marijuana-related suspensions and only issuing fines." Two others said that they are "worried about sending the message that drug use is tolerated and believe suspensions must remain" (NFL.com, 11/13). A group of doctors backed by former and current NFLers in a letter to the league on Friday wrote that it "needs to tackle the topic of marijuana and remove it from its list of banned substances." In DC, Andrew Blake noted while 28 states and DC have "passed medical marijuana laws" following the results of last week's election, NFL policy "continues to consider the plant to be strictly forbidden, on par with cocaine and opioids." Titans LB Derrick Morgan was "joined by eight former pro-NFL players in co-signing Friday’s open letter calling for the league to end its prohibition on pot," including Eben Britton, Nate Jackson, Lance Johnson, Jim McMahon, Jake Plummer, Kyle Turley and Ricky Williams. The letter states that "no fewer than 19 NFL players have been suspended this year for violating the league’s anti-pot policy" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/13).
GOOD COP, BAD COP: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last week said President-elect Donald Trump's victory "makes my job harder at home." But in N.Y., Ebenezer Samuel wrote before Trump was the "most prominent symbol of how this nation enables misogyny, it was Goodell." Goodell is the "same demon as Trump," especially when it "comes to women." While Goodell "hasn’t caused the same anguish as Trump with his words," Goodell’s actions, "especially in recent years, have done little justice to women in the moments when such justice and balance is needed most." Goodell has created an NFL system that "fails to recognize the wrongs done to women, even as it claims a different image in 'No More' ads and 'NFL is family' campaigns" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/12).
