Tunsil and pot

Laremy Tunsil is an extreme example of a phenomenon that occurs all too often: the consequences of marijuana use deprives a young, African-American male of economic opportunity: in this case, $10 to $12 million, as the bong hit heard ‘round the world dropped him from first to 13th in the NFL draft.

I’m sure Tunsil doesn’t appreciate the irony in the fact that the act of inhalation that cost him so dearly is now, thanks to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, only a ticketed, civil offense in his new hometown.

Hopefully, he and the NFL will use this as a teachable moment as it relates to marijuana and football. Both should look to Ravens tackle Eugene Monroe and his recent #cannabis4pain campaign and advocate for the adoption of a sensible medical marijuana policy in the league.

Tunsil likely didn’t don his now infamous gas mask medicinally, but that shouldn’t matter. Especially because after a couple years playing professionally, he will almost certainly require anti-inflammatory and pain relieving therapies. If marijuana is still banned then, he’ll have to get them from addictive and deadly opioids instead.

This story was originally published May 19, 2016 at 8:44 PM with the headline "Tunsil and pot."