NBA is in mayhem after Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr made a provocative argument that NBA should allow players to use marijuana. Kerr admits of using marijuana two years ago to cure his back pain. Then he argued that this could be employed in NBA to help players suffering from injuries.
The Golden State Warriors coach resides in California where medical marijuana is legal. He revealed in SB Nation interview that his back pain was so severe that he could barely move his last resort was marijuana when pain relievers failed. Given the progression from pain that Kerr enjoyed, he taunts NBA to allow the same to players.
Unfortunately, NBA doesn't share the same view with Kerr. It has been an age long debate whether marijuana will stay among the list of banned substances in NBA. This comes albeit a growing number of medical professionals construed that marijuana could indeed remedy what pain killers can't.
Of course, NBA is not a contact sport where players high on Mary Jane can cause on-court mayhem. However, Kerr also argued that most of team doctors are prescribing invasive drugs like Vicodin and Oxycontin. While this debate could go on for years before arriving into final resolution, Kerr is willing to fire up the wick.
Meanwhile, a bit of hope for medical marijuana shimmers through Kerr's initial steps. The league responded that anti-drug stipulations in the collective bargaining agreement are actually flexible. There are cases when medical use can be allowed - only if NBA will allow it. This sets Kerr in queer situation where he could have been tested positive during the time he admits taking marijuana.
So in the long run it boils down to NBA to decide whether marijuana can finally replace pain killers on case-to-case basis. Most luminaries responded that Kerr might be responsible enough to use marijuana on medical purpose. The catch came with some young athletes who lack discipline to hold themselves back from potential marijuana addiction.