Sports

In most circles, the NFL is known as the National Football League. In others, well, it’s an acronym for Nice and F*cking Lit. Although the football season is synonymous with fall, Sundays on the couch, chicken wings and beer, there’s an unsung component of the game that doesn’t get the credit it deserves—cannabis. A lot more folks in the realm of sports fanaticism than the mainstream media cares to admit enjoy kicking off the NFL season with weed. Cannabis is now… Read more.

It’s become a stink at the U.S. Open: a pungent marijuana smell that wafted over an outer court, clouded the concentration of one of the world’s top players and left the impression there’s no place left to escape the unofficial scent of the city. While the exact source of the smell remained a mystery Tuesday, one thing was clear: Court 17, where eighth-seeded Maria Sakkari complained about an overwhelming whiff of pot during her first-round loss, has become notorious among… Read more.

Celebrities don't get arrested for marijuana like they used to. These days celeb weed busts mostly happen in states that have yet to legalize cannabis for adult or medical use. Case in point: Dallas Cowboys' troubled defensive lineman Sam Williams who on August 20 was charged with possession of a controlled substance (cannabis) and the unlawful carrying of a weapon in Frisco, TX. Texas is a fully prohibited state (only CBD is legal). It's unclear how the arrest went down, though it most likely was… Read more.

Historically speaking, the golf course has been a place for men. After all, it’s an easy excuse for leaving a chaotic household or the office for half the day. Not many sports provide four hours of uninterrupted play where one can develop close connections with friends and business colleagues. One of the most mentally challenging games, golf tests one’s ability to think strategically and get out of challenging situations.  Now, more women than ever are picking up the clubs and… Read more.

Basketball star Kevin Durant has said the NBA commissioner could smell cannabis on him as he lobbied to end the league's ban on the drug. "He smelled it when I walked in, so I didn't really have to say much, you know what I'm saying?" Durant said in an interview. The 34-year-old added that the drug is so commonly used in the league "it's like wine at this point". NBA players are no longer prohibited from using cannabis. The league… Read more.

In this week’s cannabis news round-up, NBA and the NBPA reach a ground-breaking agreement on cannabis policies; Maryland reports more than $10 million in cannabis sales during the state’s opening weekend of adult use market; New York secures $150 million for cannabis social equity investment fund and the only licensed hemp farm in the British Isles closes after UK government dispute. NBA and Players Union Reach Ground-breaking Agreement on Cannabis Policies This week, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association… Read more.

German cannabis company Four 20 Pharma has inked a deal to be the main jersey sponsor for Sport-Club Paderborn 07, a professional German soccer club. Sport-Club Paderborn 07 – commonly known as SC Paderborn 07 and based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia – competes in the German second division, under the Bundesliga. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The two-year deal commences with the 2023-24 season, which begins Aug. 18. Professional soccer teams typically sell sponsorship opportunities on… Read more.

This week, a psychedelics conference in Denver attracted a diverse gathering of thousands, including podcasters, vendors, startups, and seekers. Javier Hasse of Benzinga was one of the attendees who immersed themselves in a captivating atmosphere, exploring a dimly lit hall adorned with kaleidoscope art. They listened to engaging talks by various speakers, from a former Republican governor to NFL star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While the Benzinga Psychedelics Conference is the most known and respected psychedelics show in the industry, the MAPS show is a… Read more.

The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CMAS) last week indicated its support for removing cannabis from the association’s banned drug list and testing protocols. The committee will gather input from the membership this summer, with final action expected in the fall. The issue was referred to the committee by Divisions II and III. The NCAA said the rationale for the change is due, in part, to the “consensus opinion that cannabis is not a performance-enhancing… Read more.

A National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) committee focused on promoting health and wellness for student athletes is proposing to remove marijuana from the organization’s banned substances list. The NCAA’s Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS) said the association will be soliciting input from members over the summer before potentially taking action in the fall. In order to adopt the policy change, all three of NCAA’s divisional governing bodies will need to approve the proposal—though this most… Read more.

An NCAA panel is calling for the removal of marijuana from the organization's list of banned drugs, suggesting that testing should be limited to performance-enhancing substances. The proposal released Friday from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports would mark a big change for the NCAA, which has been conducting drug tests at championship events since 1986. Committee members recommended halting cannabis tests at such events until a final decision is made, likely this fall. Legislation would still… Read more.

The National Basketball Association has confirmed reports that it will permanently end its ban on cannabis, but refuted claims that players would be allowed to promote marijuana brands.  The National Basketball Association (NBA) last week clarified its new cannabis policy for players, confirming earlier reports that the league will no longer test players for THC. But the NBA also refuted leaks about its new collective bargaining with the players union that reported that the league’s athletes would be permitted to… Read more.

Culture is multifaceted and encompasses many disciplines including the arts, food, sports and pop culture, each with its share of larger-than-life celebrities and thought leaders. When the lives of these personalities intersect with cannabis culture, their experiences can shed light on how the plant can be integrated into the lives of others, giving new insights into the benefits and pleasures of cannabis. Riley Cote, a former National Hockey League player who now teaches yoga and advocates for a naturally healthy… Read more.

Nevada sports regulators have voted to send a proposed regulatory amendment to the governor that would formally protect athletes from being penalized over using or possessing marijuana in compliance with state law. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) met on Tuesday to consider the proposed change, which would codify a policy that was informally instituted in 2021. Members voted to put the cannabis reform through the administrative process to be adopted into its guidance, first sending it to Gov. Joe Lombardo (R).… Read more.

At a time when capital is drying up in the cannabis industry, Cresco Labs (OTC: CRLBF) board member Michele Roberts says there’s a new potential pool of investors — professional basketball players. The new NBA players union contract specifically allows players to invest in cannabis companies, Roberts said during an interview today at the Cannabis Innovation Lab at 1871. Roberts, who was executive director of the National Basketball Players Association for eight years, says she always encouraged players to become investors in companies as a… Read more.

The Chicago Cubs are expected to be the first Major League Baseball (MLB) team with a CBD sponsor and sell CBD drinks at its stadium, Front Office Sports reports. The Cubs are working with Chicago, Illinois-based MYND Drinks on the partnership, which received the NSF Certified for Sport designation required to work with MLB teams. MLB, in June 2022, approved plans to allow teams to work with CBD brands. In October, the league named Charlotte’s Web the “Official CBD of… Read more.

According to a statement released by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the NBA and the NBPA reached a deal over the weekend for the 2023-2024 season. The seven-year collective bargaining agreement specifies that NBA players will no longer be tested or punished for using cannabis. Assuming the contract is approved by both team governors and players, the NBA's drug testing program would no longer include cannabis, with the suspension on cannabis testing continuing for the current season. The Athletic has… Read more.

For the third season in a row, the National Basketball Association (NBA) will reportedly not be randomly testing players for marijuana—a policy that insiders expect could become permanent. Players can still be screened for probable cause during the 2022-2023 season, but sports journalist Ben Dowsett said league sources told him random testing for cannabis will continue to be suspended, as it was for the first time in the height of the coronavirus pandemic. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver signaled in late… Read more.