by Rick Thompson/April 29, 2018
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN– The 2018 Hash Bash featured several former professional sports figures speaking about the need to reform cannabis laws and their personal stories of healing. The Bash also featured a current NFL player, Mike James, whose story was told to a national audience as the center piece of the new cannabis documentary from noted expert Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
‘Weed 4: Pot vs Pills’ is the latest in a series of ground-breaking and eye-opening cable news specials featuring the popular physician. The programs are broadcast on one of the world’s largest media sources, CNN. The fourth episode hit the air at 8pm on April 29.
The episode centered loosely around James’ quest for a Therapeutic Use Exemption from the NFL, a special permission which would allow him to use cannabis while playing in the league. According to Gupta’s narration, the NFL is only willing to consider the exemption for FDA-approved medicines- which cannabis is not. His request was denied, although James vowed to keep fighting.
Mike James boldly took the stage at Hash Bash to profess his cannabis use despite the obvious negative impact that could have on his football career. A former Detroit Lion, at the time of his speech James was a free agent and looking for a new NFL team to hire him.
“Hash Bash has provided a forum to those most positively affected by cannabis’ medicinal properties,” said Nick Zettell, co-chair of the Hash Bash Planning Committee.
The CNN documentary featured footage from the 2018 Hash Bash, including crowd shots, the Mike James speech and interviews done on site with James and Sisley.
In addition to the appearance at Hash Bash James also appeared at a special panel discussion regarding professional athletes and cannabis, which was held in a University of Michigan building on the day after the Bash.
James and former NFL star Kyle Turley were featured on the new Gupta documentary, which centered around the dangers of opioid prescription drugs and the positive effects cannabis has had in helping people escape a life-stealing pill addiction.
“Everybody talks about marijuana as this gateway drug,” Turley said, in a room in his home surrounded by football memorabilia. “The reality is, this (football) was my gateway to drugs.”
Both men discussed the need to control pain while playing professional sports. “Your production is how you get paid,” James said. “And you can’t produce without playing on the field.”
But options for players who need to treat pain are limited, and opioids are the typical treatment offered by team medical staff. That choice comes with a consequence.
“One study shows that former players abuse opioids four more than the general population,” Gupta explained.
The ‘Weed 4’ documentary featured Dr. Gupta interviewing Dr. Sue Sisley, a physician with a national identity who also spoke at this year’s Hash Bash and was the emcee for the panel discussion featuring James.
“Having professional athletes at the event offers a unique perspective on the many benefits and applications of cannabis as a medicine while ensuring our message reaches a more mainstream audience that may not know a lot about this issue,” Zettell added. The mainstream media CNN broadcast brought Hash Bash highlights into the homes of people across the planet.
One of the CNN documentary’s final lines of dialog sums up the various stories and science presented in the ‘Weed 4: Pot vs Pills’ program:
“Mike James, just one of so many people who claim their lives were saved because they traded these pills for pot.”