NFL Awards $1 Million in Grants to Study Cannabis for Pain Management
The National Football League (NFL) announced that it is awarding $1 million in grant money for two research teams to study the efficacy of cannabis for pain management and to provide neuroprotection from concussions. This research funding plan was first discussed amongst the players union and a commission of the NFL in June of last year. Many players have expressed an interest in exploring cannabis as a treatment option for pain and further examining the medicinal benefits of the drug. While this research does not guarantee that the NFL will remove cannabis from its list of banned substances, it is a positive step forward for the league. In 2020, they also changed their drug testing policies as part of a collective bargaining agreement.
Mississippi Becomes 37th State to Legalize Cannabis for Medical Use
Mississippi officially became the 37th state to legalize medical marijuana. The state’s legislature approved the bill last week, sending it to the governor who signed it yesterday. Governor Tate Reeves made it clear in a social media post that it was not exactly legislation he would have written himself, and earlier in the year he went as far as to threaten to veto the medical marijiuana bill due to the purchase limits. While recent revisions did lower the limit, they were not to the exact amounts the governor had wanted. Nevertheless, he signed the bill and dispensaries are set to open in about six months, if all goes smoothly.
Trade Report out of Missouri Shows that Nearly One in Ten New Jobs in the State was Because of Medical Cannabis
The Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association (MoCannTrade) released its own analysis of the state’s labor data. According to their analysis, nearly one in ten jobs that were created in the state last year came from the medical marijuana industry. Overall, the medical cannabis industry added about 7,000 jobs for individuals in Missouri. Andrew Mullins, Executive Director of MoCannTrade, said in a press release, “Missouri’s medical cannabis industry is delivering on its promise of not only providing safe, affordable and convenient access for patients but also helping to infuse the state’s economy with sizable investment and millions in new tax revenue.”
