Sports has long been one of the least tolerant industries in the US when it comes to cannabis use. Kevin Durant and Weedmaps are trying to change that.
The popular online marketplace recently teamed up with Thirty Five Ventures — a philanthropic organization founded by the NBA star — and the two launched a campaign aimed at highlighting the value of cannabis in recovery and wellness in sports contexts. In addition to a brand new streaming series produced by Boardroom and Weedmaps, the partnership plans to release podcasts, merchandise, and even host sponsored events. The original content series will premiere in early 2022.
The broader goal of the partnership is to help change the conversation surrounding cannabis use in athletes. They hope to in turn help remove the stigma and penalties that currently surround it.
Shift Away From Testing
Kevin Durant, host Rich Kleiman, and Weedmaps CEO Chris Beals spoke on the Boardroom podcast about the new partnership. There they discussed the reasoning behind the move, and why they chose this moment in time to start the push for de-stigmatization.
“As the largest technology provider in the sector, we are serious about our responsibility to lead the national discussion around cannabis and the need for cannabis regulations to be updated across the board,” said Beals in the podcast.
“This partnership with Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman, and the team at Thirty Five Ventures,” Beals continued, “is a pivotal step forward in our ongoing efforts to break down stigmas surrounding cannabis, especially in the sports industry.”
Professional Leagues Responding
In some sports leagues, signs of this shift are already taking place. Durant’s own NBA, for example, announced in December that it would not be randomly drug testing players for cannabis during the 2021 season. Many experts expect this rule will soon become indefinite. There is also mounting pressure on Commissioner Adam Silver to clarify the league’s stance sooner rather than later.
A similar change can also be seen in Major League Baseball. The league announced in March of 2020 that there would be no cannabis testing whatsoever. This announcement came just months after the MLB removed cannabis from its banned substance list altogether. The only stipulation was that players could not form partnerships or accept endorsement deals with any cannabis brands.
This new partnership is hoping to accelerate that change, and help shape the direction of new regulations moving forward. The announcement comes during a crucial period of rapid nationwide legalization. Across the nation, more states are beginning to embrace the potential the industry offers. Many expect federally legalization to occur in the next decade. Durant is hopeful they can be a positive influence in that shift.
“Now more than ever, there is so much opportunity for growth in the cannabis industry as well as the removal of any remaining stigmas around its use,” said Durant.
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