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Edited Date/Time
8/6/2025 5:22am
So yesterday the NFL decided to ban the use of Ammonia Inhalants normally referred to as smelling salts.
Atheletes in many pro sports have used them to increase alertness but the NFL through studies have determined that neurologically ammonia inhalants can mask symptoms of concussions, and neck and back injuries, if even for a short time.
So these have become very prevalent in motocross/supercross. We see the top riders (They show Jett doing it often) doing it on the line a lot.
Should our sport look into the studies done and accepted by the NFL, or should we continue with this being allowed and not even look into the safety aspects the neurologists have brought to the NFL's attention??
Why you trying to hurt Deegs?
No, also racers don't use smelling salts to the extent of football players.
Alpinestars should make a helmet that blasts you with smelling salts when the visor detaches.
I swear, every time I see it, I think they're using PEDs. Gonna start calling it track crack.
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Smelling salts, most critically defined, are a PED. They trigger an inhalation reflex, increase heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.
I think there is a difference in banning them for the purpose of getting stimulated to go bash into people and getting stimulated to focus better on racing ahead.
The amount of ammonia you're inhaling with smelling salts is too small to pose a significant risk - presuming that you're not using it too often or inhaling too much at a time. At anything above minute quantities, ammonia is extremely toxic to humans.
We used to put anhydrous ammonia on our land in the spring before seeding, as fertilizer. It worked remarkably well (one year, the applicator had a plugged nozzle and the whole crop had a series of strips where the plants - canola - were about 6 inches shorter). As effective as it was as fertilizer, it was also extremely dangerous to handle. You always wanted to approach the tank from upwind and be very careful with the whole hookup and unhooking procedure because a leak could easily kill you. My cousin had a job one summer delivering the applicator to farmers (we never owned one - we'd rent one that was delivered to the farm) and he had some sort of mishap with the hoses and it seriously damaged his lungs - he was lucky to survive. I have heard of others in similar situations that didn't survive. The stuff is no joke.
Not sure exactly what Danger and Duffe are huffin on the line, but some of the other guys we've seen do it (Jett) that work with Doc G. are using this product I believe... not traditional smelling salts.
https://rangeessentials.com/collections/essential-oil
I use it from time to time, does seem to open up your sinuses and airways and the cooling effect makes you focus on breathing through your nose more a bit.
I can see it in the NFL or NHL where they use them to get someone back on the field/ice after getting their bell rung, but using them for brief heightened awareness on the starts for supercross is harmless.
I have several bottles of smelling salts. I decided to try it on the start gate this summer and between the runny nose and teary eyes, it wasn't that bad. 😂
Playing hockey my whole life, smelling salts are everywhere in every locker room on every bench. I have used them on occasion, and they do get you going especially if you are a little out of it (sick, drunk, hungover, injured, or just didn't get to warm up).
I just turn around and take a whiff of the C12 and 927 blend for the same effect.
After getting their bell rung, it would seem to be more prudent to follow concussion protocol. If you have to use the salts to snap their attention back it seems to be masking the head trauma.
I can see it has an enhancement for breathing as noted above. Though Falcon said smelling salts are PED, google says it's not. Perhaps it is but not officially recognized as such.
Wake me up when the athletes start dabbing essential oils. yawn
I had the opposite effect. Id always struggle with my breathing 30 minutes into an XC race. These things changed that. Opened me up and I was able to breathe like I was already warmed up. Ill continue to use them. I think its good that they are banned in football because these things are DESIGNED to wake you up if your passed out and make you more alert, definitely masking concussion symptoms. So it makes sense that you shouldn't give these to guys after they have been hit. Using them to make you breath better on the start line isn't a big deal.
We cover All that for the hazmat enforcement every 4 yrs we hv to retest & background check, finger printed. I got blasted diff times probably why my lungs are dying now from the wild fire smoke . I had to drive back to shipper ovr wt on July 4 weekend twice , long story. 1st time I opened the trl doors it hit me so hard it knocked me on my back. I couldn’t breath in or out or see, I thought I was dying rt there . Ammonia tanker spill in cities they evacuate a large area .
I like this idea.
Pit Row
what next, i can't hit a wippit in the trailer before my moto?
psh
For those questioning smelling salts try racing on amphetamines like adderall
I don’t know… that’s a lot of smelling salts, lol
I probably wasn't clear, I can see banning them in the NFL and NHL for the reason you stated.
Whether they are a PED is debatable but they're not a banned substance so it doesn't matter.
Sounds like a given to just ban it if thats what NFL has concluded. We invest jackshit compare to them in safety.
Pretty much all development last 15-20 years in how to view and treat head trauma in sports comes from NFL.
Having a player running around with issues is no danger to anyone else than himself pretty much.
Having a rider on the track that shouldn't be there because he used "smelling salts" and now felt ok for a gate drop isn't good for anyone.
It masks the feelings, but not the symptoms I assume. Meaning reaction time, balance, and general judgement isn't really there.
Back in the day we didn't need this stuff. We had track snacks in the van to get us in the right frame of mind.
Apparently GL swears by them. Gets him back off the bathroom floor after a hard night on the sauce...
Actually the development of how to treat head trauma comes from the UPMC Concussion Management and Treatment Program. They are the ones that have developed the concussion protocols that most sports follow. The NFL and General Electric are the main entities that funded the research.
MXSports and Feld follow the same protocol from UPMC that the NFL does.
Get this man on Shark Tank
Is using them at the beginning of the race going to mask symptoms suffered during the race? In football they can take them on the sidelines while the game is going on. Can't do that in moto. And you're not going to prevent them from doing it in the trailer between races.
Speaking if which, where are we at with the IV bags?
NFL has been driving the topic for a long time now. Boxing also have had some contribution but mainly NFL. Almost 10 year back since I did NFL testing (not the same NFL) and started to realize how much is actually out there in terms of modern days sports science around head trauma.
Still suprise me that people use the "symptom free for 2 weeks" after serious head trauma and get back at it while in fact in takes up to 6-9 month to recover and get NFL back to normalized values.
Have 3 people I know of, one close that suffers long term damage after repeated concussions in MX. Elite level. Felt fine, went at it and hit the deck after a few weeks again and this time its going to take years to recover, if they even can (individual).
Without NFL funding no progress so I hope they continue.
What effect would smelling salt have on someone suffering with carbon monoxide poisoning?
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