John Salley thinks marijuana could have extended his NBA career (video)

 Marijuana has become a hot-button topic in the NFL, and former NBA player John Salley has offered his thoughts.

The merits of marijuana for medical use has become an ongoing debate in society. The NFL is connected to it now, with some players advocating medical marijuana as an alternate method to manage pain. Even with that, pro sports leagues still treat marijuana on a level playing field with harsher substances when it comes time for discipline.

John Salley won four championships over the course of his NBA career, and he was a member of the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys” squads in the late 80s and early 90s. His final championship came in his last season, with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999-2000. In light of the recent incident surrounding Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, Salley offered his thoughts on marijuana to TMZ Sports.

Salley’s suggestion he’d “still be playing” in the NBA if he smoked marijuana is first-class hyperbole, and he was probably joking. But the rest of Salley’s thoughts aren’t off-base, and are clearly rooted in the growing lack of stigma surrounding marijuana use in the world at-large.

Medical usage of marijuana is slowly become more viable too, and it’s easy to see the benefits for older pro athletes. Rather than being prescribed a pill, which can easily become highly addictive and cause further issues, marijuana automatically looks like a milder way to manage pain if used responsibly.

Related Story: 5 ways John Wall and Bradley Beal can repair their relationship

It’s time for our pro sports leagues to lose antiquated policies and rules in certain areas. Marijuana is a slippery slope though, and full-on advocacy isn’t on the docket. But in a lot of cases the punishment does not fit the crime right now in the NFL, as long as other elements like getting behind the wheel aren’t involved.