I remember hearing an interview with Tommy Chong, during which he talked about how his NBA player friends from throughout the years all consumed marijuana. He specifically named Kareem Abdul Jabbar and said that Kareem told him that at least 3 out of 4 NBA players consume marijuana. There’s obviously no way to know if that’s completely accurate, but I could see it being true. Kareem explained that with the aches and pains that every professional athlete deals with, marijuana is a great for of medicine to help alleviate those aches and pains.
TMZ recently surveyed 10 NBA players to see what they thought about medical marijuana. The results were favorable:
We asked 10 active NBA players (all of whom wanted to remain anonymous) … and they all made it very clear — it’s time to legalize it!!!
One player told us, “How can you tell a guy with a prescription not to use it?? They should be allowed to have their medicine.”
Another said … “The NBA shouldn’t advertise for it, but I don’t see an issue if a player uses [with a prescription].”
Overall, the players believe the league needs to change with the times — though they agree, the NBA is more progressive than other major sports leagues like the NFL and MLB and could be a real trailblazer when it comes to pot policy.
Every athlete should be allowed to consume marijuana, whether it be for recreational or medical purposes. Especially in states where it’s legal. Leagues should be more interested in keeping players away from harmful pharmaceuticals and alcohol than in sanctioning athletes for a helpful, harmless plant.
