Kyle Turley believes cannabis can cure COVID-19.

Others, like the folks at the Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission, aren’t convinced. Late last month, the agencies sent a letter to the former All-Pro offensive lineman’s company, Neuro XPF, telling it to stop promoting CBD products as a way of stopping the coronavirus pandemic.

Turley seems to have found a way to comply with the order without backing down from his claims. As of this weekend, he says, Neuro XPF is no longer his company. Neither is the Shango chain of dispensaries, which has locations in Moreno Valley as well as Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Michigan.

“In the recent days many of you have witnessed the resentment and backlash of individuals and agencies who wish to silence my message and demand I stand down at the risk of losing all,” Turley wrote in a statement he posted Saturday on Twitter.

“After meeting extensively with my team and partners due to the coronavirus and demand by our government leaders for all to do what we can to win this war on COVID-19, it is with a heavy heart I have decided to relieve myself of my capital approach, duties and direct involvement and associations to the companies I’ve helped build and create out of respect for the life-saving work they do and the risk of jobs at stake because of threats to my personal advocacy.”

He added: “I will now be strictly operating as a private citizen without restriction of speech to continue my dedication to the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and informing the people of these unwavering truths shown to me in the science of the endogenous cannabinoid system that must be exposed at this time through the dropping of Schedule 1 status on cannabis.”

Turley played in the NFL from 1998-2007, including one season with the St. Louis Rams. After retiring, he faced lingering physical pain from his playing days, as well of bouts of depression and rage. He tried cannabis and saw rapid improvement, leading to his advocacy for the league to lift its ban on marijuana use by players.

Story continues

“Everyone knows this game is brutal,” he told The Times’ David Wharton last year. “Cannabis saved my life, period, and it could help a lot of other players.”

According to the FDA and FTC’s March 31 letter to Neuro XPF, the company included such messages on its website as “We want everyone to take CBD and take advantage of its potential to help prepare your body to fight a coronavirus infection” and “Crush Corona! Your best defense against the COVID-19 blitz starts with a strong immune system.”

The letter states: “We advise you to review your websites, product labels, and other labeling and promotional materials to ensure that you are not misleadingly representing your products as safe and effective for a COVID-19-related use for which they have not been approved by FDA and that you do not make claims that misbrand the products in violation of the FD&C Act. …

“Failure to immediately correct the violations cited in this letter may result in legal action, including, without limitation, seizure and injunction.”

The company’s website appears to no longer mention COVID-19 or the coronavirus. But private citizen Turley continues to speak and tweet freely about the curing powers of cannabis.

“Trust in God and his great medicine and what he put inside of your body to help you heal yourself,” Turley said in a video clip (warning: contains profanity) posted Saturday on Twitter.