Dallas Cowboys Owner Urges NFL to Change Stance on Marijuana. Jerry Jones has a decorated career as the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, one of the most long withstanding football clubs in the National Football League in the U.S. Just last week Jones hosted an owners-only meeting in Arizona. While this was technically an executive session of the Finance and Compensation Committees, it also included an opportunity for any and all owners to speak about any and all topics that they wanted to bring up for discussion…including the topic of cannabis.
There has been lots of recent discussion about current and ex NFL players using medical cannabis for their sports related injuries and conditions, but this is the first time that points were made in this manner in an owners-only meeting. Some retired NFL players, including Eugene Monroe, and even some current players, including DeAndre Levy, have spoken out about the need for the NFL to address the topic of medical marijuana use for football players in the U.S.
According to NBC Sports Pro Football Talk, this was how the discussion from Jerry Jones went regarding this topic at the meeting:
Jones raised the question of the NFL’s position on marijuana. Jones, per a source who heard the comments, wants the league to drop its prohibition on marijuana use. Jones was reminded that the issue falls under the umbrella of collective bargaining, which would require the players to make one or more concessions in exchange for significant changes to the marijuana prohibition.
Separately, the league office reiterated to PFT its position that any changes to the substance-abuse policy would occur within the confines of labor negotiations, and that the league is willing to listen to the medical community about any potential changes to the rules regarding marijuana.
As more states continue to legalize medical and adult-use/recreational cannabis, the more this discussion will continue. TWB will continue to keep a close eye on this as the conversation grows.