The NFL announced in a memo issued Tuesday that they have banned ammonia inhalants, prohibiting teams from providing players with ammonia inhalers, capsules, “smelling salts” or ammonia in a cup. The prohibition applies throughout all NFL games and applies to all team personnel, including coaches, team physicians, athletic trainers, strength & conditioning coaches or other personnel.
In banning ammonia, the NFL cited a 2024 warning issued by the FDA concerning the lack of evidence to support the safety and efficacy of ammonia inhalers marketed for boosting mental alertness or boosting energy, noting potential negative side effects. For the league’s purposes, it was also noted that ammonia inhalers had the potential to mask certain neurological signs and symptoms, namely some potential signs of a concussion. As such, a ban on the use of ammonia inhalers for any use during NFL competition was recommended by the league’s Head, Neck, and Spine Committee.
News of the NFL’s ban on ammonia inhalers was broken by All-Pro San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, who had been a user of such products and said he used them every drive.
“I’ve been distraught all day,” Kittle joked while crashing linebacker Fred Warner’s interview with NFL Network. “I considered retirement. We’ve got to figure out a middle ground here, guys. Somebody help me out, somebody come up with a good idea … I miss those already.”
Ammonia and smelling salts have long been used as a stimulant by NFL players as well as other athletes, though the risks that come with their use have been noted. Many boxing competitions, for instance, have banned smelling salts under the pretense that their use can mask serious injury.
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