David Stern in favor of removing marijuana from NBA’s banned substance list

Former NBA commissioner David Stern says marijuana should be removed from the league’s banned substances list.

Stern, who was commissioner for 30 years, spoke to former NBA player Al Harrington about weed in an interview with Uninterrupted. Harrington, who calls himself a “marijuana entrepreneur,” says he first discovered the benefits of marijuana for pain relief as he recovered from a bad knee surgery during his time with the Denver Nuggets.

The 37-year-old, who played for seven teams during his time in the league, estimates that 70 percent of NBA athletes use some form of marijuana and he hopes changes are on the horizon for the way the league looks at the issue.

In the interview, Harrington and Stern discuss the public’s early perception of marijuana among the league and how it changed throughout Stern’s tenure as commissioner. Stern’s own opinion of marijuana was influenced heavily by a CNN series by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The report opened Stern’s eyes and now he says he ready for athletes to be able to treat their pain with marijuana.

“I think there is universal agreement that marijuana for medical purposes should be completely legal,” Stern said. Stern says he is in favor of removing marijuana from the banned substance list and thinks teams should look into integrating marijuana into their health and rehabilitation methods.

Stern also spoke out in favor of recreational marijuana use for players who live in states where recreational use is legal. “I think we got to change the collective bargaining agreement and let you do what’s legal in  your state,” Stern said.

Stern says the NBA Players Union should bring a list of topics to be discussed during the next collective bargaining negotiations.

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Current commissioner, and Stern’s protege, Adam Silver has said the league is “open” to legalizing medical marijuana. No timeline has been set, but as public perception seems to be shifting and with big name allies on the side of legalization, it seems like the tide may be turning.