Today, professional athletes are some of the most famous people getting involved in the cannabis industry. But what are they smokin’? Well, truth be told the legal cannabis industry as it applies to professional sports is a unique situation and varies from the NBA, NFL, NHL etc. While the rules are strict, they are still fluctuating and so some professional athletes are using cannabis. However, cannabis prohibition is still enforced in many cases.
Retired players are some of the most popular celebrity supporters for cannabis in sports. Pro Athletes Pro Cannabis or PAPC is an organization made up of Professional Athletes along with Medical and Business Professionals. With the common primary goal to raise awareness for the many benefits of cannabis in sports and injury recovery, the PAPC athletes have suffered through their own injuries, pain and recovery processes. So, they know just how hard it can be to repair a beat-up body and continue. Not only that, but when prescription drugs are the only option for pain relief addiction can take hold. The Pro Athletes Pro Cannabis brings attention to this matter right in the mainstream for the most advocacy.
Here are the top celebrity athletes taking on the cannabis industry:
1. Eugene Monroe. This former, Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens is now retired. He recommends using cannabis products for pain management and neuroprotection. One of the first active players to openly advocate for cannabis, he is one of the most recognized leaders in the fight against the opioid epidemic, acting as a celebrity supporter for the use of marijuana as a healthier alternative to these types of highly-addictive and potentially deadly pain medications. Eugene has a patient-first approach to the campaign for cannabis policy changes in professional sports and is a supporter of the Drug Policy Alliance, Marijuana Policy Project and Doctors for Cannabis Regulation. Eugene enjoyed a lucrative career in the NFL for 7 years and now focuses on long-term health. He is partner in a cannabis company known as GTI or Green Thumb Industries.
2. Deucess22. This cannabis company is a father-daughter team that includes NBA former player John and Tyla Salley – his venture partner. Deucess22 got its name from John’s old NBA jersey number. Although Tyla Salley is just a 22-year old, this entrepreneur team takes the cannabis business seriously. Focusing on the smallest details, like pesticide and residue-free product, Deucess22 delivers only premium cannabis, aimed at people who want to be healthy and use marijuana.
“Since our debut, we’ve been rolling, brother. We do vape pens using nanotechnology. We do pre-rolls,” John said.
3. Ricky Williams.This NFL running back has openly discussed his relationship with cannabis over the years. In Williams’ 11th NFL season, he was reported to have numerous suspensions due to positive drug tests but now things have changed as Ricky Williams has just become a co-founder of the world’s first cannabis-friendly gym – Power Plant Fitness and Wellness. Here, you can bring your own cannabis and use it on-site, as well as purchase Power Plant’s edibles, which McAlpine said include “pre-workout focus and post-workout recovery” items. Yum!!
Other Ways to Use Cannabis Besides Smoking
If you want to support the lawful use of cannabis, help by learning more about how to use cannabis at home. If you enjoy using cannabis products besides just flower and concentrates, you’ll find that there are millions of ways to infuse cannabis into your everyday healthy lifestyle. For example, pairing your favorite foods with the flavor and cannabinoid profile of cannabis can really bring meals alive.
Try this Original Green Goddess Salad Dressing Recipe:
- 1 small green onion, rinsed and finely chopped
- 2 small cloves fresh garlic, crushed and chopped
- ½ green jalapeño pepper, rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped
- ⅔ cup thick Greek yogurt
- Juice from 1 fresh lime
- ⅓ cup cannabis-infused olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey (if needed)
- Apple cider vinegar (for thinning)
Directions:
Prepare all of the fresh ingredients on a clean, dry cutting board. Then, place them in a food processor or high-speed blender with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and ½ of the olive oil. This includes the onion, garlic, jalapeño and cilantro. Pulse the processor or blender at the highest speed for 10-20 seconds.
Then, add the rest of the ingredients into the processor including the Greek yogurt, lime juice, the rest of the olive oil as well as salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy this Green Goddess dip as a dressing on salads, in anti-pasta, on toast or baguettes or heaped onto your favorite vegetables like carrots and bell peppers.
More on Professional Athletes and Cannabis
There are many laws that prohibit the use of cannabis in professional sports. For this level of competitive athlete, many of them simply accept that cannabis products, both for medical or recreational purposes are just not an option. However, because synthetic forms of cannabinoids are harmful, many professional athletes support cannabis. Some of the most famous celebrity athletes who are also cannabis advocates include Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, UFC and WWW fighter Ronda Rousey, NFL player Jake Plummer and more!
Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug in many places which means the federal government makes it very difficult to cut through the red tape for researchers to do clinical studies. However, today more places in the U.S. than ever before are ending pot prohibition. So, players are still hopeful that cannabinoids will get approval as medication and doctors could start prescribing it.
Brittany Artwohl is a health and wellness specialist based out of sunny Arizona. There, she has worked for over 15 years as an aqua fitness trainer, lifeguard and coach. Today, Brittany contributes to publications including Mountain Weekly News and Vital Updates as she lives a natural outdoor lifestyle.