The two teams that will meet in the Super Bowl in two weeks, will also represent cities in states that now agree that marijuana can be purchased legally.
Marijuana remains banned by the NFL and the players continue to make weekly visits on the police blotter over the substance. HBO’s awarding winning sports series, Real Sports is about to return, and the first episode will take a glaring look at the marijuana and the deep relationship it has with the players in the league.
Awful Announcing broke down an advanced copy of the segment.
The enlightening feature, reported by correspondent Andrea Kremer and produced by Chapman Downes, includes interviews with former NFL tight end Nate Jackson (Broncos 2003-2008); former NFL punter Chris Kluwe (Vikings 2005-2012); NFL Senior Vice President of Law and Labor Policy Adolpho Birch; Dr. Raphael Mechoulam of Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and former NFL player Daniel Davis (Real Sports happened to run into him at a Denver area dispensary while they were filming the segment).
According to the HBO report, players estimate that between fifty and sixty percent of today’s NFL players smoke pot. Former Broncos tight end Nate Jackson spoke candidly about self-medicating with marijuana during his playing days in Denver.
“I weeded as needed,” Jackson told Kremer. “For me, personally, [marijuana as a painkilling alternative is] very viable. I prefer it. Marijuana was something that helped me, as the season wore on my body would start to break down. I was in a lot of pain.”
This will definitely be must see TV.