The National Football League announced Tuesday it will ban the use of smelling salts and similar products during games.
Smelling salts and other ammonia inhalants, the league says, may not be safe for use on their own and may also make it harder to diagnose or address concussions.
The NFL's Tuesday letter bans all club personnel from the use, supply or distribution of smelling salts during pregame, game time or half time periods, both on the sidelines and in the locker rooms for the 2025 season. The decision is based on recommendations from the NFL's Head, Neck, and Spine Committee, which were themselves based on findings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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The ammonia in smelling salts acts as an irritant that prompts deep breathing and other responses from the sympathetic nervous system, that can cause a jolt of energy or alertness.
In the NFL, players have frequently used such products to improve their energy levels on short notice.
But the NFL warned that the FDA has found a "lack of evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of [ammonia inhalants] marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy."
"AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurologic signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion," the league wrote.
