Baltimore Ravens

Ravens OT Eugene Monroe wants science to study whether weed protects your brain

Published Mar. 15, 2016 12:53 p.m. ET

foxsports

One day after the NFL admitted to a link between playing football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), Baltimore Ravens lineman Eugene Monroe took to Twitter to share a suggestion as to how NFL players can protect their brains.

His idea? Explore whether marijuana can help prevent or protect against brain injury.

Monroe was willing to put his money where his mouth was, as he said he donated $10,000 toward marijuana research and urged others to do the same. His ideas about marijuana and traumatic brain injury do have some basis. A 2014 study into the effect of marijuana use on patients with traumatic brain injury showed a significant decrease in mortality in patients who had a positive THC screen.

For now, marijuana remains banned in the NFL. Just ask Martavis Bryant, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver who was just suspended for at least one year for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He previously served a separate four-game suspension in 2015, reportedly for marijuana use.