The National Football League has implemented a policy prohibiting teams from providing smelling salts to players, though athletes remain free to acquire and use the stimulants on their own. This regulation has led to a new locker room tradition for the Houston Texans, where rookies are now tasked with purchasing the ammonia inhalants for their teammates. According to reports from the Texans’ locker room, rookies rotate the responsibility of ordering bulk supplies of the inhalants from online retailers like Amazon to ensure veteran players have access before games.
The league’s directive to stop supplying the products stems from safety guidance issued by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has warned that ammonia inhalants, which trigger an inhalation reflex by irritating the nasal membranes, have not been proven safe or effective for athletic performance. Of primary concern to the NFL is the possibility that the chemical jolt provided by the salts could mask neurological symptoms of concussions, potentially allowing injured players to bypass medical scrutiny and return to the field with brain injuries.
Despite these medical objections, the use of smelling salts remains a deeply ingrained ritual for many football players who believe the vapor provides a necessary momentary increase in alertness and blood flow. While the NFL has stopped facilitating the practice to align with medical advice, the loophole allowing personal possession ensures the “sniff and screech” ritual continues on sidelines, funded in Houston by the team’s youngest roster members.
