Diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to the 100-plus concussions he received during the 10 years he played as an NFL offensive lineman, Kyle Turley struggled with pharmaceutical addiction, violent thoughts, and suicidal tendencies — until he started taking medical marijuana. “It saved my life,” he says. “I wouldn’t be where I am today, I would not have my family, my kids, my house, everything I have right now, if not for cannabis.” To help save other lives, Turley founded the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition to use his story and those of other players to advance the idea of marijuana as a valid medicine for neurological conditions and other athletic injuries. “This plant has to be set free,” he says. “We have people committing suicide in football and other sports. How far do we have to go?”
Knowing the value of the plant and the hurdles that the government and big pharma has placed on marijuana, Kyle has created Neuro XPF, a lab tested, federal guideline compliant, THC-Free, CBD (Hemp derived) cannabis supplement focused on Bioavailability.
The business continues to grow as the topic of CBD and athletes escalates and awareness and education expand. As one of the first in the space, we caught up with Turley to talk about his business, its challenges and the marketplace both in and out of the world of professional athletics.
How has the company grown in terms of marketing and outreach in the last year?
In the last year we have expanded our marketing and outreach Worldwide. Neuro XPF is sold in all 50 states, 50/50, online and in-stores, as well as shipping overseas. By expanding our social media reach, and continual access to multiple media outlets, the Neuro XPF brand is leading the conversation in CBD.
Has perception form the general public changed with the changing of state laws towards cannabis?
The perception of CBD in general has had a very positive, consistent growth in acceptance, even before the new laws were passed. Society is looking for answers and alternatives and with the right education and quality products, it will continue.
Your products are geared to the health and wellness side, in marketing how do you distinguish from those who look at Cannabis as “Pot” vs. having medicinal properties?
Educate. Educate. Educate. We make sure that our products and marketing advertise that we are a THC-Free product for athletes at all levels. Our testing and practices are extensive, fully transparent and our product guides, website, and social platforms are always up to date with the latest, valid educational content allowed.
Where do you see the biggest growth areas coming from with your products?
We’ve had a huge surge in growth over the last 18 months, in all areas. We are opening up more and more retail channels throughout the country as acceptance and understandings of the medicinal benefits of CBD grows. At the same time, online sales have been skyrocketing. Customers love the ease of being able to simply order online, from a trusted source, and have it delivered within a few days… so much that we’re about to unveil our subscription plan, where customers can get their medicine auto-filled each month with a discount!
Our customers are all ages and all walks of life, across the board. This includes a large number of professional athletes, both current and former, from sports leagues around the world.
Lastly, with all the products rushing to market, how are you setting yourself apart?
Neuro XPF is the world’s first sports specific CBD company on the planet (originally Neuro Armour). From the beginning we have continued to lead the way in performance, innovation and the conversation surrounding CBD.