Illegal cartels use public forests to grow their marijuana crops, contaminating nearby wildlife and water sources.
The large amounts of insecticides and chemicals used to breed black market marijuana plants have been affecting the health of wildlife and water sources in several public forests across the U.S.. The damage to these crops could last decades.
NPR spoke with several experts and employees from the U.S. Forest Service, who said that it’s very common for drug cartels to target dense forests to hide their grow operations in plain sight. These illegal marijuana sites can go undetected for years.
“The true crime here is the fact that they’re killing off basically America’s public lands, killing off the wildlife, killing off our water. This is stuff that, you know, it’s not gonna repair itself,” explains Kevin Meyer, law enforcement assistant from the U.S. Forest Service.
The chemicals and pesticides used on these sites, many of which are banned in the U.S., are incredibly damaging to forest ecosystems. “A quarter teaspoon could kill a 600-pound black bear. So obviously just a tiny amount can kill a human. It remains in an ecosystem for a long period of time,” says wildlife ecologist Greta Wengert, regarding the insecticide carbofuran.
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While this problem has existed for as long as marijuana has been sold, it’s only recently that cartel growers have started using more chemicals and pesticide products, spreading them throughout large plots of land without regard for their surroundings.
Aside from hurting the plants and the animals that surround the area, chemicals like these stay in the ecosystem for years, reducing animal populations and influencing future generations of animals. These substances infect mothers and their offspring, causing deaths that will later infect insects and animals that feed on the remains. It’s a vicious cycle that perpetuates and affects all wildlife far beyond the one spot where the marijuana was cultivated.
While the state of California has set up several organizations designed to prevent the spread of these sites, experts estimate that they’re only able to capture around half of them each year. Aside from the tremendous ecological damage, these sites are also affecting marijuana’s legal market, undercutting it by around 50%.
“A lot of the product that they’re growing is filled with these poisons and it’s likely finding its way into the market in various forms — flower, oils and vape pens,” explains Rich McIntyre, director of the Cannabis Removal on Public Lands Project.
A long-standing belief among law enforcement that marijuana turns your tongue green is used in DUI cases across the country.
Mythology abounds in the marijuana world. Prohibition forced cannabis communities underground, which resulted in the formation of a marijuana counterculture in the 60s and 70s. As a result, marijuana tips and tricks — how black pepper sedates paranoia, joint rolling techniques, etc. — were often passed around by word of mouth. There was little existing literature outside High Times and Terence McKenna to educate yourself.
Law enforcement crafted its own mythology regarding marijuana users. Among the popular tropes were weed is a gateway drug and legalizing cannabis would inhibit police from doing their jobs. This is simply not true, as one study funded by the Department of Justice found. And while the internet has empowered many to dispel rumors and fake news on both sides, some still persist in a subtle yet pernicious manner.
Take, for example, the myth that smoking marijuana will create a viscous green film atop your tongue. Smoking marijuana can dry out your mouth, creating the dreaded “cottonmouth” many daily users describe. For anyone with cannabis experience, the idea that marijuana will create more color-tinted saliva in your mouth is a funny one.
Yet for some Americans, the green tongue myth is no laughing matter. Law enforcement across the country reference the green coating as probable cause in DUI cases. In fact, many police officers are trained to look for a green tongue in marijuana-related cases. According to The York Daily Record, 28 out of a possible 1,300 DUI cases in the York County Court of Common Pleas last year detail a “green film,” “green tint,” and “green coating.”
“The science behind marijuana consumption turning your tongue green is about as sound as the science behind the earth being flat or that lying makes your nose grow,” Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML, told the York Daily Record in an email.
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To identify possible persons under the influence, police undergo a Drug Evaluation and Classification Program. “Possible green coating on the tongue” is listed as a potential characteristic of marijuana users, in the Feb. 2018 Instructor Guide manual. The course, as well as law enforcement advocates, reference two specific peer-reviewed studies as the basis for the “green tongue” theory.
In the first, a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Optometric Association, two of the five authors worked in law enforcement. The paper, without citation, states those who recently smoked marijuana “might have a greenish coating” on the back of their tongue. Karl Citek, an optometry professor at Pacific University, told the Record they were just reporting on what police were taught in the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program. In other words, the police’s reference was their own program.
The second, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, was an analysis of persons suspected of driving under the influence via blood samples. In their reports, police mentioned a “coating on the tongue” in 185 cases. Toxicology reports stated that 96.2% of these drivers had THC in their system. In a scientific sense, this is a classic case of confusing causation with correlation. These researchers did not discover smoking marijuana caused a coating of the tongue. Instead, they connected reports of what officers saw in the field against their lab results.
By the way, the first page of the second study notes that, “Authors all work for The Orange County Crime Laboratory testifying on driving under the influence cases, specifically in regard to marijuana, which represents a possible conflict of interest.”
All of this appears far from conclusive. One expert told The York Daily Record the initial myth began because of a 1986 handbook called “Identifying the Marihuana User.” Included in the book is picture provided by the author, physician Forest Tennant, which shows the “Green coated tongue of marijuana-hashish smoker.” While that’s possibly where it all started, hopefully new research is conducted outside possible police influence. In the world of law enforcement, facts should lead the way, not mythology.
Multiple studies have showcased that THC and CBD offer an alternative to opioids and other pain medicines.
With knee pain, everything seems to be a chore. From climbing stairs, to getting in-and-out of the car, individuals that suffer from prolonged knee soreness and discomfort often benefit from surgery, with many stating that after-care can be almost as difficult as the pain itself. In fact, Googling “knee surgery aftercare” often brings up results in how to avoid surgery altogether.
However, delaying surgery can have subtle effects that patients often don’t realize. BoneSmart, a website by AESCULAP Implant Systems, found research on why delaying surgery could bring additional complications. From a risk of deformities to the increased inability to manage pain, BoneSmart also found that delaying the procedure could prolong time under anesthesia.
The Arthritis Foundation also echoed the research of others like BoneSmart on the internet but added the caveat that most patients could make an informed decision with knowledge of weighing the pros and cons of having immediate surgery or choosing to delay the procedure.
Additionally, the Foundation shared a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, showcasing the fact that demand for the total knee replacement procedure has been steadily rising since 2011, as has patient questions about avoiding opioid addiction and additional therapies available in after care.
Multiple studies have shown that THC and CBD offer an alternative to opioids and other pain medicines but often patients don’t know where to look for proven studies on the effects of cannabis on pain within the body. As Brandon May from Clinical Pain Advisor shares, “Research examining the therapeutic effects of CBD remains limited, as the majority of clinical studies focus on THC, which binds CB1 receptors rather than on CBD itself.”
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The role of THC and CBD
With America being slow to warm to understanding cannabis’s role in medicine, a clinical trial sponsored by McMaster University in Canada is looking into the role of cannabis in post-surgical pain. In their trial brief, they explain:
“Medicinal cannabis has begun to emerge as a potential therapy for pain reduction and produces effects largely due to 2 active components: (1) cannabidiol (CBD), and (2) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Studies of CBD have shown analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-anxiety properties, but without the psychoactive effects (feeling ‘high’) that THC produces. This study will assess the feasibility of a definitive trial to explore whether adding CBD vs. placebo to usual care before and after surgery can reduce the rate of persistent post-surgical pain after total knee replacement. This study will randomize 40 patients to receive either CBD or placebo and follow them for six months to confirm our ability to recruit patients, adhere to protocol, and capture full outcome data for at least 90% of patients.”
As the U.S. continues to struggle in hosting trials and studies due to the classification of cannabis, pressure continues to mount on all involved in healthcare to explore additional therapies.
How technology is improving patient outcomes
With many patients choosing to move forward with surgery, there seems to be a feeling of apprehension of what to expect after, as each individual’s recovery plan is usually customized. Medicare’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model started recommending immediate discharge after surgery instead of placing patients in after-care facilities, which some say has added depth to the opioid-epidemic for those unable to discontinue pain medicine at proper times.
Dr. Michael Suk, chair of Geisinger’s Musculoskeletal Institute, shared recently with Modern Healthcare that while after-surgery care is set individually with each patient, certain best practices are a guideline. These include timeframes for check-ins with the health care team and offering specific resources for education. Noticing a need to offer home-bound patients a way to connect to resources throughout their recovery, Dr. Suk and his team partnered with Force Therapeutics to offer an app that allows patients to not only have touchpoints with nurses and gives access to detailed care plans. Geisinger’s strategic partnership has helped create big cost savings, and helped patients feel empowered. Other technologists and entrepreneurs have taken notice of recent trends in helping patients stay connected after surgery. The MyMobility app has been rolled out at Hoag Orthopedic Institute to allow patients to showcase their rehabilitation statistics (steps taken, amount of time spent in activity) so the care team can make further recommendations for follow-up care.
Technology is helping care teams to better align best practices with patients who may need extra support or experience hesitation at completing physical therapy at home with the added bonus that more frequent communication may help identity an opioid addiction, with more eyes and ears on care. However, patients must feel empowered to share that they are dependent on opioids, which often is kept silent due to a myriad of reasons.
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Tackling opioid addictions after surgery
A 2018 report looked at opioid use after knee replacement surgery and found:
While the number of opioid pills prescribed is dropping from 85 pills to 82, surgeons often feel pressure to prescribe more opioids than they feel are necessary.
Patients were often prescribed more than double the 20 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) dose when many were given opioids of 50+ MMEs, which poses not only an overdose risk, but could lead to complications to the liver and body.
Most interesting, patients undergoing a knee replacement surgery reported an incidence of later dependence of 15.2% versus the overall average of 12%, (an increase from a rate of 9% of a 2017 study.)
With opioid addiction facing unprecedented scrutiny, doctors and rehabilitation specialists are not only looking to new technologies to combat a dependence on painkillers, but also demonstrating a want to understand new ways of treating ancient issues of pain.
Here’s the bottom line
“Survey data indicates that the use of cannabis is common among patients with chronic pain[2] and patients who use it for this indication typically report it to be an effective treatment.[3] Majorities further report that cannabis possesses fewer side effects than conventional pain medications and that it provides greater symptom management than opioids.[4]” (NORML.org)
NORML, a national organization committed to revamping the U.S.’ marijuana believes in the power of cannabis in relieving pain and other organizations are starting to post their own guides for patients. The Arthritis Foundation, The Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network, and many more organizations are starting to give their members new information on CBD and THC for pain. Even more, other studies are popping up from around the world, hoping to recruit individuals who are recovering from knee surgery to identify the benefits of THC and CBD in after-care.
If you’re readying for surgery, consider discussing CBD and THC with your medical practitioner and care team. Not only might the compounds play a role in decreasing a long-term dependence on opioids, but they may also provide other benefits as well.
Two preliminary studies highlight a growing concern regarding the link between marijuana use and heart problems.
Young people who heavily use marijuana beware. It could be increasing your risk of stroke and heart disease. Two new presentations from the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions point to these increase risks of cardiovascular problems, which could become worse should marijuana use be combined with e-cigarette consumption.
The first study, which will be published in the upcoming issue of Stroke, analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers found that young frequent marijuana users, or people who used cannabis 10 days a month or more, were almost 2.5 times more likely to suffer a stroke than those who did not report marijuana use. According to their data, marijuana users were more likely to be heavy drinkers, current cigarette users and e-cigarette users, which could have influenced the study’s results.
The authors empathized this was an observational study. Their research did not identify a biological mechanism between marijuana use and stroke. Instead, they were presenting a possible link worthy of further exploration.
“Young cannabis users, especially those who use tobacco and have other risk factors for strokes, such as high blood pressure, should understand that they may be raising their risk of having a stroke at a young age,” lead study author Tarang Parekh said in a statement. “Physicians should ask patients if they use cannabis and counsel them about its potential stroke risk as part of regular doctor visits.”
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Another preliminary study found that a young person diagnosed with cannabis use disorder had a 50% greater risk of hospitalization due to arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat. Cannabis use disorder is often characterized by habitual, compulsive use of marijuana, akin to alcoholism. According to the research, frequent marijuana users in the 15 to 24-year-old range experienced 1.28 times higher chances of hospitalization from heart problems while those in the 25 to 34-year-old range had 1.52 higher odds.
The latter study has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“The effects of using cannabis are seen within 15 minutes and last for around three hours. At lower doses, it is linked to a rapid heartbeat. At higher doses, it is linked to a too-slow heartbeat,” Rikinkumar S. Patel, resident physician in the department of psychiatry at the Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman, Oklahoma, said in a release.
“The risk of cannabis use linked to arrhythmia in young people is a major concern, and physicians should ask patients hospitalized with arrhythmias about their use of cannabis and other substances because they could be triggering their arrhythmias.”
Sleep experts believe these annoyances should be kept out of your bed forever, including alarms.
If anything can throw off your work day, it’s a night with no sleep. Despite how important sleep is and how much all of us love it, around 70 million Americans suffer from some kind of sleep disorder, like insomnia, sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.
Everyone can recover from a single night of restless sleep, but when it begins to affect us over long periods of time, it can alter our weight, increase our risk of heart disease, strokes, and more.
The Huffington Post spoke with several experts who said that sleep can be influenced by a lot of things. Some of these fall out of our control, but others can be managed by our behaviors. Here’s a few distractions they claim can totally ruin our sleep quality.
Pets
According to Roy Raymann, vice president of sleep science and scientific affairs at SleepScore labs, pets should sleep in their own beds at the end of the day.
“Pets can disrupt your sleep at night by jumping on the bed, begging to play or begging for food. Next to that, they might worsen any allergy and bring fleas to your bedding,” says Raymann.
While he makes some valid points, one study did say that dogs make better sleep companions than cats and even humans.
TVs
No one can be too surprised by this. Aside from emitting a lot of blue light (guys, it’s a big screen), TVs are also perfect for distracting you with a great movie or some reality TV that’ll have you feeling like a zombie in the morning.
“When you are watching, your brain is secreting chemicals like norepinephrine and dopamine, which stimulate the ‘wake centers’ of your brain, thus making it harder to fall asleep,” says Sujay Kansagara, sleep expert from Mattress Firm.
Photo by Holly Stratton via Unsplash
Work
Despite this being a no-brainer, most of us have worked from bed at least a couple of times. It’s a bad idea. Aside from being super distracting, adding your work into your bed will make your mind wander. Before you know it, it’s 3AM and you’re thinking about all the stuff you have to do for work without actually doing a thing about it.
Alcohol
Despite the fact that alcohol is a depressant, one drink too many can facilitate nightmares, night sweats, headaches and more.
Photo by jill111 via Pixabay
Alarm clocks
According to Christopher Lindholst, CEO of MetroNaps, alarm clocks are bad for you because they interrupt your sleep cycles, and you should complete as many of them as you can per night. What’s the solution, you may wonder? Lindholst says you should train your body to wake up naturally by going to bed at the same time every night. Sounds cute but fake.
Drake’s feelings don’t seem to be too hurt after being booed off stage at Tyler The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw; A Jeopardy contestant’s final answer nearly brought Alex Trebek to tears.
Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek was nearly overcome with emotion during Monday’s show when contestant Dhruv Gaur had no chance of winning in Final Jeopardy, and, in place of an answer, wrote, “We (heart) You, Alex.” Trebek’s initial reaction was one of surprise, and he was clearly getting choked up as he tried to continue as usual. All three contestants were also wearing purple ribbons in support of Trebek, who is battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
It didn’t take long for #WeLoveYouAlex to begin trending, and it was obvious that Trebek wasn’t the only one who was moved by Gaur’s message.
Drake’s surprise performance at Tyler, the Creator’s annual Camp Flog Gnaw festival did not go as planned. Shortly after the “Money In The Grave” rapper took the stage at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday night (November 10), he was booed right off it.
See, the crowd seemed to be hoping to see Frank Ocean instead of the Canadian rapper. And since the headliner for the festival was not announced before Sunday’s show, and the lineup reflects Tyler’s personal taste in music, many believed, in fact, they were certain that Frank was going to be the top act. So when it wasn’t him, they didn’t hide their disappointment.
Here’s a video from Camp Flog Gnaw.
Drake: “I’m here for you tonight. If you want to keep going, I will keep going. What’s up?”
Some fans boo loudly. One yells “No!”
Drake seemingly cuts his set short & ends the show there. “It’s been love.”https://t.co/n1BYrvLThc
“Make some noise for yourself tonight,” Drake told the audience in the middle of his song “Wu-Tang Forever.”
“I’m here for you tonight,” he continued. “If you want to keep going, I will keep going. What’s up?”
To his surprise (and mine too, honestly), the bitter crowd began loudly booing. “If you want me to keep going,” Drake said again, “I will keep going tonight.” Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t let up. The boos got louder and people started screaming “No.” So, with that clear response, Drake wasted no time exiting the stage. “It’s been love. I love y’all. I go by the name of Drake. Thank you for having me,” he said visibly disappointed while walking off stage.
Video of the incident has since gone viral, with many fans condemning the “ungrateful” crowd for their “rude” behavior. However, Drake is reportedly taking the incident in stride. DJ Akademiks tweeted Monday morning (November 11) that he spoke to the 33-year-old rapper, who told him that the performance was a “moment of humility which is always welcomed.” The “God’s Plan” rapper added, it “was just not my night. Wasn’t who they wanted to see.”
Drake is taking it in stride tho… he told me personally regarding the camp flog gnaw performance it’s a “moment of humility which is always welcomed”. He also added “was just not my night. Wasn’t who they wanted to see”.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that Vitamin E acetate is just one of the culprits behind the outbreak of vaping lung illnesses.
Following the outbreak of a strange vaping illness that caused lung damage to more than 2,000 people in the United States and killed at least 39, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has found the likely culprit: Vitamin E acetate.
The CDC’s report explains that they came to this conclusion after analyzing the data from 29 patients with EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping product use Associated Lung Injury) from 10 different states across the country. All of them showed traces of Vitamin E acetate in their lungs.
“Vitamin E acetate is used as an additive in the production of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. This is the first time that we have detected a potential chemical of concern in biologic samples from patients with these lung injuries,” explains the report.
The data goes further, explaining that both THC and nicotine vape devices currently pose a risk for smokers. Out of the 29 patients tested, 82% of them had THC in their lungs and 62 of them had nicotine.
Other substances thought to be associated with the disease were tested, with most of them showing no links to the illness. “CDC tested for a range of other chemicals that might be found in e-cigarette, or vaping, products, including plant oils, petroleum distillates like mineral oil, MCT oil, and terpenes (which are compounds found in or added to THC products). None of these potential chemicals of concern were detected in the BAL fluid samples tested,” says the report.
As of this writing, there have been 39 deaths associated with EVALI. Although new substances and elements could continue to be linked with the disease, it’s believed that the biggest risk users face is consuming THC from vape devices that have been acquired illegally. No matter the legal status of marijuana in your state, right now is not the time to explore new methods of vaping weed.
New research confirms what many medical marijuana patients already know: CBD can cause them to fail a drug test.
A new study from John Hopkins University confirms that certain CBD products can trigger urine drug screens. These are some of the most popular drug tests used by employers and criminal justice and addiction proceedings.
The study was published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology. In it, six individuals (three men and three women) were administered with pure CBD and with CBD-dominant vapor. They were later asked to submit urine samples for analysis. While the subjects who consumed pure CBD demonstrated no THC in their urine samples, two subjects who consumed the CBD-dominant vapor triggered positive results for cannabis in their urine tests.
“Conventional urine drug testing for cannabis targets a common metabolite of THC called THCCOOH (THC is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis). Importantly, many CBD-dominant products contain low levels of THC, including hemp-derived CBD products which can legally contain up to 0.3% THC,” explains Tory Spindle, PhD fellow at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
While this is the first official study that proves that some CBD products are capable of triggering a false positive in urine drug tests, medical cannabis patients have been reporting instances where their use of CBD has caused them to lose their jobs. Although these cases continue to be rare, it proves that urine analyses are not equipped to notice the differences between THC and hemp.
It’s also important to highlight that there’s a regulation issue going on with CBD products, causing a lot of misinformation to swirl around. A study by Penn Medicine found that different CBD products purchased online contained over 6.4ml of THC. Legally, most CBD products should not contain over 0.3 percent of THC.
Though marijuana is more widespread and mainstream, people are abusing the drug at far lower rates.
Earlier this year, United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a warning about the newfound potency of today’s marijuana. “This ain’t your mother’s marijuana,” he said. “Not enough people know that today’s marijuana is far more potent than in days’ past.” The statement was picked up by prohibitionists like Alex Berenson and Tucker Carlson as proof positive we should not legalize marijuana nationwide.
While the Surgeon General isn’t wrong, that doesn’t mean legalization is wrong either. At a time when more Americans than ever support legalization — either as a medicine and wellness supplement or alcohol replacement — prohibition encourages posers. Black market producers grow high-THC strains because it delivers them the highest return on investment; vape cartridge mills add vitamin E acetate, as the CDC reports, to extend profit margins, a process that resulted in more than 2,000 vaping illness cases and 39 deaths.
The Surgeon General emphasized high THC levels in today’s marijuana as a warning to parents, as the effects of cannabis use in teenagers can include later problems in life. Studies have linked adolescent use to memory problems, depression, and loss of other cognitive functions as an adult. But if you analyze the data, the best solution isn’t scaring kids and maintaining prohibition policies.
Photo by Kimzy Nanney via Unsplash
Research suggests that legalization has helped discourage marijuana use in young people. Washington and Denver saw drops in adolescents using weed following legalization, one study found, while research published in an American Medical Association-backed journal found teen marijuana use rates dropped in all legalized states.
Perhaps the most encouraging study is the newest. Published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence last month, researchers found that cannabis use disorder — the medical term to describe marijuana addiction — is declining among daily cannabis users. Between 2002 and 2016, the number of people diagnosed with CUD dropped 26.8% in adolescent users and 29.7% for those ages 18-25. Among those ages 26 and over, CUD diagnoses for daily users fell nearly 38%. In addition, researchers found the number of heavy marijuana users who drove under the influence (either drunk or stoned) also dropped significantly during that same time period.
“There could be several reasons behind these declining rates,” study author Silvia Martins said in a statement. “First, the new national cannabis policy environment, with 33 states legalizing medical use and 10 states allowing recreational use of cannabis may have played a role in reducing stigma and perceptions of risk associated with cannabis use.
“Secondly, increasing legalization may also be associated with changes in social attitudes resulting in fewer conflicts with relatives and friends around cannabis use.”
Everyone has a bad edibles experience, but Dion Waiters has a story that is funnier and costlier than yours ever was.
You never believe you’ll be the one destroyed by an edible. That’s what I thought when news of Dion Waiters, a professional NBA player for the Miami Heat, and his no good, very bad edible experience broke across my timeline. The story captivated, and still captures attention, because it’s an experience far too funny and relatable to ignore. A millionaire athlete, with every resource and tool imaginable to prevent something like this at his disposal, got wrecked mid-flight by a gummy bear.
Let’s peek behind the curtain for just a quick moment. Every Saturday afternoon at The Fresh Toast, we receive a spike in hits for one specific article: 9 Ways To Chill Out When You’ve Eaten Too Many Marijuana Edibles. Just last month a reader emailed thanking us for the article, after he ate too many edibles and “was FREAKING OUT and everyone had gone to sleep so I was by myself trying not to cry bc I thought I was dying,” he wrote.
Photo by Jamie Grill/Getty Images
Even those you would assume have all the marijuana experience in the world go through this. Snoop Dogg and Seth Rogen have sworn off edibles for this reason, saying popping a THC-infused gummy is too much of a “crapshoot.”
Now that all the empathy and understanding’s out of the way, it’s time we had fun. Sorry, Dion Waiters, your misery is our comedy.
“When the edible hits…”
According to ESPN’s official report, Waiters experienced “a panic attack” after consuming a “THC-infused edible” on a flight from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Passengers flying out of Seattle or Denver know the feeling. The initial report inspired a wealth of memes. It’d be a crime if I didn’t share these with you.
The Miami Heat suspended Waiters for 10 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. To put that into context, Waiters has a $12.1 million salary this season. Missing 10 games translates to $800,000 in lost wages. Wait, there’s more! His contract also includes a potential $1.2 million bonus if he plays more than 70 games this season (reminder: there’s 82 total games in an NBA season). Waiters has yet to see the court this season, so the suspension already disqualifies him from that bonus.
Kudos to Saturday Night Live Chris Redd for capturing the nation’s mood after this news.
Dion waiters got suspended for being a fucking lightweight
This story would be entertaining enough if it ended there. But the narrative gained a surprising twist, thanks to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Heat believe Waiters was given the “gummy” by a teammate, but Waiters has been reluctant and has decided not to say who provided it, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium. Waiters has had a tumultuous series of events with Miami this season.
It sounds like Waiters didn’t even mean to take the edible! A teammate, slipped him the ol’ okie doke and now he’s paying the consequences. Waiters might not snitch, but that hasn’t stopped everyone from assuming who it was. According to the internet, the likeliest culprit is Jimmy Butler. After all, Butler once detonated a team scrimmage with the Timberwolves by calling out and belittling teammates to their face. At one point, he yelled at Minnesota’s general manager Scott Layden, “”You f—ing need me, Scott. You can’t win without me.”
Trust us, this story is far from over. By all reports, Dion Waiters will return to the Miami Heat after serving his suspension and attempt to get back into the organization’s good graces. We can only assume how his first game back will go.
