Report: DEA investigating prescription drug use in NFL
The Drug Enforcement Administration has launched an investigation into the abuse of prescription medication in NFL locker rooms, according to a report from the New York Daily News.
In May, a lawsuit filed by retired NFL players alleged that the league illegally used painkillers to mask injuries and that the NFL obtained and administered the drugs illegally without prescriptions. The lawsuit also claimed that the league failed to warn players about potential side effects. The reasons for this abuse, according to the players, were to expedite the return of injured players to the field and generate the highest possible profits.
The original lawsuit named eight ex-players, including three members of the Super Bowl champion 1985 Chicago Bears: Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent, offensive lineman Keith Van Horne and quarterback Jim McMahon. Now more than 750 former players are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
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More from the New York Daily News:
"The allegations in our lawsuit, that the NFL has violated state and federal drug laws, have been confirmed by over 1,300 former NFL players,” Steve Silverman told the Daily News. “We are pleased to learn that the DEA and United States Department of Justice are also taking our clients' allegations seriously and are actively protecting the welfare of NFL players.”
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