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The Wrong Bud Was Given the Green Light for Super Bowl Advertisement

Acreage Holdings admitted a medical marijuana campaign to run as a Super Bowl advertisement, but it was declined. Yet alchol continues to sponsor the event.

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Super Bowl Advertisement
PHOTO | Marco Verch
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It’s an American culture cornerstone that’s lasted for decades – families create traditions that are handed down for generations based solely on this one day alone. That’s right, we’re talking about the Super Bowl. Even if you don’t like football, the halftime show, food, beverages, and commercials make it worth sitting in a room with your friends for an entire afternoon. This year, an interesting advertisement was pitched to CBS to run during Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, February 3rd. Unfortunately, it was dropped quicker than you can say “go long.”

Acreage Holdings, who has former U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner sits on its board of directors, was prepared to pay more than $5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl advertisement in an effort to create awareness around medical marijuana. CBS instantly rejected the idea, but why?

Wholesome Intentions

Acreage Holdings’ pitch was designed as a call to action around the benefits of medical marijuana. It was set to feature a veteran with injuries from combat as well as a child who suffered from seizures. Given that medical marijuana is now legal in upwards of 30 states across the nation, it’s logical that this industry would begin to flex some muscle and position themselves to receive more attention.

Acreage was careful to craft their advertisement in such a way that wasn’t self-serving, despite the fact that their brand is sold in multiple states. Instead, they hoped to give a voice to the people who are being lost in the conversation about cannabis with the intention of bolstering more support for increased research and accessibility.

“We put together a storyboard for an ad we planned on producing, and we submitted it to the ad buying team at CBS through a media partner of ours. Very quickly after we submitted, we received rejection, and it wasn’t wholly unexpected,” says Harris Damashek, the company’s chief marketing officer in an interview.

“We definitely want to underscore the fact that we don’t begrudge CBS or the NFL in any way. They are just doing what they can and need to be doing to protect themselves.”

With so many eyes on each commercial spot, why can’t cannabis find its home here?

Super Bowl Advertisement Ruling Is Sending the Wrong Message

It’s not terribly surprising that a major television network denied the opportunity to draw attention to weed. As a whole, it’s fairly clear that the nation just isn’t ready for that yet, despite the increasing amounts of support for both medical and recreational use across various regions. For some, cannabis may have come across as being thrown in front of your face during half time, however, there’s a piece to this puzzle that’s even more frustrating.

Some of the most popular and arguably humorous Super Bowl ads are the ones from alcohol companies. Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and more have all made dozens of appearances over the years, proudly promoting their brand and some might say encouraging viewers to drink their product. Why is it perfectly acceptable for alcohol ads to continue to air during the Super Bowl without the blink of an eye, but something that’s medicinally effective is given the pink slip right away?

It’s an argument that would no doubt be heated depending on who you ask, but ultimately CBS’s rejection of the Acreage advertisement simply continues to show that the nation isn’t ready to fully accept cannabis as a viable medicinal option. At least those in the industry are recognizing an opportunity, pushing for change, and taking every chance they get to help subdue stereotypes and normalize a substance that has helped countless individuals around the world.

Will this decision affect your desire to watch the Super Bowl in the first place, or is the exclusion of the cannabis community a mere blip on the radar? Perhaps it’s a topic to discuss while eating chips and dip on February 3rd.

Sports

Ricky Williams Will Be Sparking Greatness With His Highsman x Jeeter Collab on Super Bowl Sunday

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Highsman x Jeeter

Ricky Williams made it possible for a generation of athletes to successfully challenge the NFL’s draconian prohibition of cannabis. The Heisman Trophy winner and former running back changed the perception of cannabis in the NFL, bringing in a new era in which the league has stopped drug testing players for cannabis. This paved the way for the league to recently donate $1 million to research how the plant’s medicinal properties could actually help players deal with pain and provide neuroprotection from concussion.

Williams credits smoking cannabis as a way of overcoming the challenges associated with being a professional athlete, from social anxiety to physical injuries. Since retiring from football, Williams has studied herbalism and alternative holistic therapies, intertwined with the healing properties of cannabis. His first line of cannabis wellness products, Real Wellness fused cannabis with herbal extracts like lavender and turmeric.

In 2021, Williams released his new venture, Highsman, a cannabis lifestyle brand “created to empower professional and everyday athletes as well as sports enthusiasts alike.” And a great play on words, too.

Ricky Williams in the Highsman grow room. PHOTO | Supplied

Highsman is an appreciation for greatness and an appreciation for cannabis. When I started experimenting with it recreationally, I became very reflective and a lot of the time the things I was reflecting on didn’t feel good to me. But through that inner reflection, I started making changes in myself– I realized that there was more to me than just being a football player, and it created an urge to start developing those other sides of myself. It was, and still is, my appreciation for cannabis that helped me to realize my potential for greatness outside the game of football. 

Highsman features three curated by Williams to compliment moments in the day and put you in the zone. Pre-Game is a Sativa for an energized boost; Half-Time is a hybrid for focused awareness, and the Post-Game Indica offers a relaxed mood.

Just in time for Super Bowl LVI, Highsman has teamed up with Jeeter, the number one cannabis pre-roll brand in the country, on a limited-edition run of cannabis and apparel products.

Cannabis Aficionado caught up with Williams for a quick huddle to find out what the iconic athlete will be doing this Super Bowl Sunday.

The Highsman x Jeeter collab. PHOTO | Supplied

CA: What brought on your partnership with Jeeter?

We partnered with Jeeter because they are a brand at the top of their game. Their dedication to greatness makes them an ideal partner for Highsman. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that, aside from Highsman, Jeeter is one of my top choices when I visit the dispensary.

Where are you watching the Superbowl and who with?

I am watching the Superbowl at the Jeeter house in LA with Jeeter co-founders Sebastian Solano and Lukasz Tracz, and the amazing Highsman team including CEO Eric Hammond and Marketing Director Lane Radbill.  

What are you smoking?

Sticky Ricky from the Highsman x Jeeter collab!

What are you eating and drinking?

I eat light pregame… a fruit smoothie, yogurt, assorted fruit, and a little honey.

What were your pre-game rituals?

I had a whole meditation routine. 12 sun salutations, pranayama, twin hearts meditation (heart-opening meditation), and then off to the stadium.

Who do you think will win Superbowl LVI?

I’m just hoping for a good game, but I picked the Rams to win in the Highsman bracket challenge, so I’m going to root for the home team.

Merch from the Highsman x Jeeter collab. PHOTO | Supplied

Find your nearest Highsman x Jeeter stockist here.

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Sports

Tom Brady Is Officially Retiring from the NFL

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Tom Brady Retires

Tom Brady has announced his retirement from the NFL, writing on Instagram on Tuesday that he is “not going to make that competitive commitment anymore.”

“I have always believed the sport of football is an ‘all-in’ proposition — if a 100% competitive commitment isn’t there, you won’t succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game,” Brady said in his statement on Instagram. “There is a physical, mental and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life.

“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention. I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.”

Brady’s announcement comes three days after it was originally reported that he would be hanging up his illustrious cleats. Brady had yet to officially commit one way or the other, insisting on “going through the process” during his most recent appearance on his podcast. The outcome of that process was announced on Tuesday.

The legendary sportsman retires after an astounding 22 NFL seasons, 20 with the Patriots and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which he had the most individual success of any player in NFL history. Tom Brady was a 15-time Pro Bowler, three-time AP MVP, three-time first-team All-Pro, and the all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and quarterback victories.

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Sports

High Fighting: Jiu-Jitsu Meets Cannabis

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PHOTO | High Rollerz

The relationship between recreational marijuana and sports has historically been contentious, and MMA leagues in the United States are no exception. Because of how long weed lingers in the bloodstream, many fighters who follow the rule of not smoking during competitive periods nonetheless test positive. Superstar UFC athletes who have tested positive for marijuana (like Nick Diaz) have faced harsh penalties, including fines and even suspensions or bans from competition, thanks to this law.

High Rollerz co-founders Matt Staudt and Big Lonn Howard have chosen to put together a cannabis-infused jiu-jitsu tournament where some of the sport’s elite athletes get high with their opponent before competing – and where the winner’s grand prise is a pound of pot.

Peep the Vice documentary below.

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