With the new year brings new changes, including California becoming the sixth state with legalized recreational marijuana sales. As California boasts the largest population among the states, the new policy’s impact will have widespread ripples.
Many within California have voiced opinions from expected and unexpected sources. Among those were Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who voiced his positive approval.
“I’m a proponent of it,” Kerr told media after practice Tuesday. “I do feel strongly that [marijuana] is a much better option than some of the prescription drugs, and I know that it’s helping a lot of people, which is great.”
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Kerr previously revealed that he had tried using medical marijuana to relieve pain in his back, caused by complications following surgeries. At the time, he said marijuana ultimately didn’t work for him. He also spoke out against prescription drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin, saying those produced “worse” results.
“If you’re an NFL player, in particular, and you got lot of pain, I don’t think there’s any question that pot is better for your body than Vicodin,” Kerr said then. “And yet, athletes everywhere are prescribed Vicodin like it’s Vitamin C, like it’s no big deal. And there’s like this perception in our country that over-the-counter drugs are fine but pot is bad. Now, I think that’s changing.”
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California joins Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Nevada in permitting the sale of recreational marijuana. Maine and Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational usage but have yet to roll out sales.
