Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe said Thursday that he's not worried about how his stance on medical marijuana will affect his future in the game.
"I don't have any personal concerns about repercussions for speaking about medical cannabis," Monroe said on SportsCenter. "My health and wellness future as a father [and] as a friend is far more important."
Monroe is the only active player to publicly support taking marijuana off the NFL's banned substances list. His status with the Ravens has come under question after Baltimore used the No. 6 overall pick in April's draft on offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley. Monroe has struggled to remain in the lineup because of injuries, missing 16 games the past two seasons.
The Ravens have said Monroe's opinion on medical marijuana is his own.
"I'm aware of [Monroe's comments] because I read like you guys do," coach John Harbaugh said. "That's really all I know about it."
Monroe recently donated $80,000 to researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania for studies to examine the impact of cannabinoid therapies on current and former NFL players. He also wrote a first-person essay in The Players' Tribune about the need for the NFL to reduce the use of opioids.
"Other players, particularly in the Ravens locker room are very supportive of this," Monroe said. "We're concerned for our health and wellness future. A lot of us are fathers with many children. We want to be there in full capacity for our kids and for our families when we are done playing the game. Introducing cannabis as a medical option that would be prescribed by certified doctors could make the game much safer."