Former NFL Player Makes Bold Claims About CBD Curing Coronavirus

Cannabis is an extremely effective and versatile treatment for many conditions and illnesses. However, making claims that the compound in cannabis, specifically Cannabidiol (CBD) can be used to cure coronavirus is unethical and misleading. Although cannabis may be used to alleviate some of the symptoms such as pain, there is not enough research to back up a claim such as the one by Kyle Turley. Mr. Turley is a former NFL player who claimed that CBD can prevent and cure coronavirus. He has been receiving a lot of pushback from the public since his claim is not supported by clinical evidence. 

Mr. Turley went as far as to lay claim of cowardice to those who are pushing back on his claim. Although there is a chance that Mr. Turley might be correct, at least to a certain degree, he should not be spreading claims with no evidence to support it. An individual who may not know better and who may decide to go the route that Mr. Turley is may end up catching the virus and putting their life at risk. Putting out false hope is the same as spreading false information around the virus, they will both lead to adverse effects. 

Kyle Turley Puts Others At Risk With His Medical Claims

By marketing such a claim, individuals around the world may see fit to do away with conventional and recommended health care which will end up putting them at risk. There is still no vaccine or approved treatment for dealing with the coronavirus, which has already taken claim over thousands of lives. In such uncertain times, it is more beneficial for the people of the world to conform to what is certain. 

Until Mr. Turley’s claims can be substantiated, we are certain that you should not heed his advice due to the lack of research and evidence pertaining to cannabis and the coronavirus. 

Instead, we are certain that cannabis will be beneficial for lowering anxiety and stress in these uncertain times, alleviating pain as well as for reducing inflammation. These certainties have backed up clinical studies and offer support in the treatment of the virus. 

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, has impacted the world in wonderful and concerning manners. It has been good for mother nature and her creatures but has left concern on the faces of many…especially regarding safety, health status, future, economy, etc. This means that the coronavirus should be dealt with the respect and caution it demands in order to ensure minimal damage. If Mr. Turley understood how serious all the direct and indirect impacts of the virus are, he might have thought more about his claims and its impact before making it. 

“The last thing the world needs in these difficult and often confusing times is someone with any level of celebrity using their public platform to sell their personal products on false promises and pseudoscience,”

Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML.

Mr. Turley is promoting a line of his company’s products which has been advertised with a slogan of “Crush Corona”. Unfortunately for Mr. Turley, he will likely be found with issue by the FDA as they have made it very clear that they will take action against cannabis companies that make unsubstantiated claims about the healing/therapeutic potential of the products… which is exactly what Mr. Turley is doing. Mr. Turley also remains the prime example for Erik Altieri’s comment about ‘modern-day charlatans and snake oil salespeople’ that are taking advantage of uncertain times to promote unsubstantiated claims in order to make more money. 

Turley Believes That The FDA is Covering The Truth About Cannabis

Mr. Turley claims that he would welcome FDA action against his company. He claims that the FDA and government are suppressing the truth about cannabis even though there are releases of study, after study, after study proving cannabis’ medical worth. See the problem in his claims? Let me sum it up for you… 

• He has no evidence or clinical research to back up his claim.
• Yes, there are more and more studies being released on the benefits and power of cannabis. This is wonderful news since we can access them, which must also mean that the FDA is not suppressing them (otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to access them). The problem with all the cannabis studies is that there are so many areas that need it. It is impossible for all the benefits and power of cannabis to be discovered in the sum of all the available studies that have already been done. On top of that, there is no way we could have done a study on cannabis and COVID-19 since we didn’t know it was coming in the first place. Now that it is here, feel free to start researching that however, by the time you get through the FDA clinical research process, the world may have already moved on from COVID-19. But on the bright side, there would be clinical proof to lay claims that cannabis can prevent, cure, and/or assist with the COVID-19.
• Mr. Turley states he has based his claim that the immune system will kill COVID-19 if you give your immune system cannabis. Where is the research to support this claim, Mr. Turley? He claims that fact makes his claim feasible and logical. We do not agree. 

Why So Much Pushback?

Mr. Turley should understand that most of the pushback against his claim is not to undermine the power of cannabis nor to try and keep its medicinal value under wraps. Instead, he is receiving pushback because the bold claim provides false hope (which may find itself premature), has no clinical reports or research to back up that cannabis can kill COVID-19 as well as being based on the vaguest reason I could imagine. 

Hopefully, research on the effects of cannabis on the coronavirus will gain traction and provide the cannabis community with some certain and reliable information, unlike that of Mr. Turley’s. 

Moral of the story? DON’T make bold claims in times of crisis and uncertainty without being able to prove that your claim is true. Always do your research first in order to have the proof. 

(by research we mean a proper research study, not merely googling your facts 😉)