Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan has joined former Ravens tackle Eugene Monroe as an advocate for the league to take a closer look at medicinal marijuana and whether it should be made available to players as an alternative to other painkilling medications.
Since his release from the Ravens, Monroe has wondered whether his outspokenness on the issue contributed to his departure from the team. The Ravens have said that it was purely a football decision, but Morgan said during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio with Brady Quinn and Brad Hopkins that he’s considered the possibility that speaking up could have consequences.
“You’ve got to consider any backlash or negative ramifications that might come about,” Morgan said. “But I’m really just asking for a more intensive look into it -- researching it. It’s trending in America. If you look, more and more states are legalizing it for medical uses. It’s on several ballots for recreational use coming up there in November.”
Morgan wonders why the NFL wouldn’t be doing research into the potential benefits because the league is “always stressing player health and player safety.” With a lawsuit regarding the way teams distributed and endorsed painkillers moving forward, it is hard to see determining whether there are other alternatives as a bad idea.