Kevin Durant Calls For Cannabis To Be Removed From The NBA’s Banned Substance List
NBA Player With Cannabis Business Says Pro Athletes Should Be Able to Smoke Weed
Athletes famously have to go through routine drug tests and strict check-ins with trainers. But one basketballer has spoken out against these rules.
Kevin Durant is one of the biggest names in the NBA, and now, he has publicly advocated for marijuana to be removed from the NBA’s banned substances list.
Kevin’s History With Kush
It’s no secret that Durant loves weed. He co-founded an investment firm called Thirty Five Ventures with business partner Rich Kleiman, and later formed a partnership with Canopy Rivers, a firm that specializes in cannabis-related investments. He’s also joined Snoop Dogg in supporting Dutchie, a fairly-new cannabis delivery service.
‘It Shouldn’t Even Be A Discussion’
Durant spoke about his support for athletes using cannabis on a recent episode of the Showtime series, All The Smoke.
“It’s one of those plants that’s an acquired taste,” he said. “If you love it, you love it. If you don’t, you’re not even going to be pick it up. It shouldn’t even be a discussion these days.”
Durant went on to explain that the drug doesn’t deserve the negative stigma attached to it.
“It’s just like, marijuana is marijuana. It’s not harmful to anybody. It can only help and enhance and do good things. I feel like it shouldn’t even be a huge topic around it anymore.”
A common double standard was brought up next: why is weed regulated in harsher terms than alcohol?
“Everybody on my team drinks coffee every day. Taking caffeine every day. Or guys go out to have wine after games or have a little drink here and there. Marijuana should be in that tone. Why are we even talking about? It shouldn’t even be a conversation now.
So, What’s Next?
Durant isn’t the only person involved in the NBA who wants to see a change made. NBA commissioner Adam Silver hinted at a possible change to the league’s substance abuse policy in the future – though this would involve collective bargaining between the NBA and the player union.
Durant and many others hope to see a league that allows more room for marijuana – after all, don’t pro athletes need to relax like the rest of us?
Until then, we’ll have to stay tuned, either for more athletes to speak out or for officials to reveal a plan for changes.
As Durant says: “Hopefully we can get past that and the stigma around [cannabis] and know that it does nothing but make people have a good time, make people hungry, bring people together — that plant brings us all together.”
Photo Credit: Tim Shelby from Arlington, VA, US. https://www.flickr.com/photos/shelbytm22/7575251494/
