Ex-Eagle: Using pot to manage pain should be ‘no-brainer’ for the NFL

Todd Herremans played guard and tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2005-2014. He was one of many players using marijuana during that time and would like to see the NFL allow cannabis use to treat player injuries.

Herremans eventually mainly used weed to manage chronic pain. "As the season wears on, you have injuries and things that you don't want to report because they just want to give you a pain killer to cover it up and come to work the next day. You're supposed to be taking care of your body, not just numbing it so that you can continue on destroying it and destroying it later on after you're career's over if done irresponsibly," he said Tuesday night.

For Herremans, using pot to manage pain became a "no brainer" because he said he knew the effects that it had, how it felt, how his pain would be alleviated, "and it lasted a good amount of time."

Instead, when Herremans was hurt he was given opiates, which cause addiction.

"I've also been through the ringer of testing positive for marijuana and being put through the drug program," Herremans said. "So I've seen where I'm getting put through this drug program because they think I have a problem, but I'm also being prescribed opiates too which is something that is highly addictive."

Herremans says he thinks one out of seven NFL players leave the NFL and struggle with the addiction, which he says is "scary."

Why does Herremans think the NFL won't accept marijuana?

"I think it's just the stigma around it, it's really to get out of that old world thinking as to where marijuana and cannabis are evil, it's silly to think that way but if you talk to somebody that's convinced that way , it's evil it will lead you to terrible things" Like (Jeff) Sessions said Good people don't use marijuana."

Here's hoping good people can legally start soon.

Steve Trevelise is on the air from Monday-Thursday, 7 to 11 p.m. Tweet him @realstevetrev or @nj1015.

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