“I use CBD roll-ons daily for joint release. Age has its costs and it was impossible to stick to the same methods for inflammation (that I relied on for years.) Those remedies started to cut into my health and lost their effectiveness. That leads to serious Percocet/Vicoden use! What’s ridiculous is that our docs would have been completely cleared prescribing s**t that poses a clear and present danger to future health. How ironic is that. Something that is a serious danger – and one of our country’s biggest epidemics – is an accepted treatment for pain. All while CBD sits on the sidelines.”

 

“It’s amazing that I’m experiencing a revival. I’m working out harder, recovering better. People still think I can play. Getting serious about researching CBD I think is the way to go and then using it in the locker room. I’m using it to be pain-free – why shouldn’t they be?”

 

Opioid addiction is out of control. Brett Favre was a champion of taking ownership of that issue and has done wonders to open up the conversation. And I commend him for that.  I can’t say who, or where, but it wasn’t uncommon for all of us to be exposed to pain meds. I mean, Aleve wasn’t going to make a dent; players needed something that was leaded. It’s a slippery slope that we’re all too familiar with now.

 

As much as Andre is light, fast, and truly knows what sticky fingers are, here’s a guy with a different profile. Willie Roaf – a 6’5” offensive linemen who’s size and sheer physicality was threat enough.  Willie is not only a convert - his commitment alone might power a small CBD company.

 

“I think CBD is a lot less dangerous and addictive than prescription drugs. If former players think it is helping then they should continue to use them and live a healthier lifestyle. There's no reason why CBD shouldn't be seriously explored by professional athletics."

I can go on. It's not just Willie, Andre, and countless others. I will be auditing NFL HOFers in the coming year to understand their use and enthusiasm. It’s too big for us NOT to pass on. It’s too big for us to ignore.

 

For the NFL to move towards fully adopting and taking CBD off the banned list, I will embark on a number of initiatives to deliver more education and influence:

Education initiative – We will be starting a CBD education campaign for the NFL. With their permission, we’ll be able to teach trainers and staff on its benefits and applications for players.

Double-blind trials – The League needs to initiate trials with private partners. There’s a lot of money in CBD these days and no shortage of interest to uncover compelling evidence about inflammation, anxiety, and recovery.

Lobbying campaign – I will be announcing a professional athlete CBD lobby in the coming months (proCBDA) – a collection of athletes aligned on CBD and directed to help professional leagues get it off the banned list.

We all know it’s time to make CBD the centerpiece for natural recovery and performance enhancement. It’s my mission to introduce CBD to the league and put them in the best position to adopt it.

I love the NFL and I’m appreciative of the life I live and the opportunity it provided for me to help others. And I know the NFL will get there. It might even be the League that goes the extra steps to validate CBD, giving it widespread, global credence. All I know is that it’s working for me and countless others.

Thanks, my brothers. (For more on what Andre is up to these days check him out @andre_reed83 @ar83foundation)

Article originally posted on Forbes.com