Eugene Monroe, the first active NFL player to publically support medical marijuana use for professional football players, has retired from the league after 7 seasons, according to a report from the New York Times.
The offensive tackle was cut by the Baltimore Ravens in June. At that time he said he was not sure if his stance on medical cannabis had led to his release, but that the team “distanced themselves” from him and “made it clear” they did not support his advocacy.
Monroe indicated that he had been contacted by other teams but turned down their offers. He said his retirement is due to fear that his injuries would become debilitating if he kept playing, citing injuries to his knees and one of his shoulders which required surgery.
“They have accumulated to the point that I deal with enormous pain on a daily basis,” he said in the report. “Just getting out of bed, especially during the season, can be difficult.”
Now retired, Monroe will likely continue his advocacy for medical cannabis and hopes more current players will begin publically supporting its use.
“I’ve had conversations with my teammates and have been in conversations with players, and at the very least, they believe more research is needed to find a better option,” he said.