Former NFL offensive lineman Ryan O’Callaghan agreed with the NFL’s recent proposal to the player’s association which hoped to research the pain management benefits of medical cannabis.

O’Callaghan detailed his struggles with opiate abuse, which he often used to treat his former sports injuries and suppress his homosexuality. He later referenced the plant as a “godsend,” since it offered no addictive quality and an alternative to pain pills. He now uses cannabis to treat his pain, which replaced his use of opiates.

“The NFL know[s] it’s harmless, and it’s not performance enhancing,” O’Callaghan said. “The NFL can be stressful and there’s not a lot you can do. Smoking a joint’s pretty harmless.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell maintained a strong stance against making any changes to the league’s cannabis policy:

“I think you still have to look at a lot of aspects of marijuana use,” Goodell said at the time. “Is it something that can be negative to the health of our players? … We really want to help our players, but I want to make sure the negative consequences aren’t something that we’ll be held accountable for years down the road.”