Throwback: When Dwyane Wade Claimed He Wanted to Smoke Marijuana With Barack Obama
Dwyane Wade is one of the best players in the NBA and is a legend of the Miami Heat. He once talked about smoking marijuana with Barack Obama.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to alcohol and drug addiction
Aside from skill, the NBA has changed in a lot of other ways. The league took cannabis off its list of prohibited substances in 2023. Many players had been outspoken about their experiences with marijuana before that. One of the few athletes who supported marijuana use was NBA star Dwyane Wade. Wade even went so far as to mention former US President Barack Obama as someone he would like to smoke with.
Wade listed five individuals, living or dead, that he would like to go to a party with during an appearance on the podcast All the Smoke. The most intriguing person mentioned was Obama due to the activities Wade would love to participate in. He said, “I want to vibe with [Barack Obama], especially drinking wine. [Smoking marijuana] we can do it.”
Wade wanted to talk to the former president about something important. The Hall-of-Famer would find the interaction particularly memorable, though, given the use of wine and cannabis. Among his top five party companions, Obama wasn't the only prominent politician he mentioned. Wade also mentioned legendary activist Martin Luther King Jr. and the 44th President of the United States. He also mentioned Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, and Eddie Murphy.
Wade started a company that sells wine and cannabis. The 13-time All-Star established a limited-edition cannabis brand called "Hall of Flame" in 2023, following the launch of Wade Cellars in 2014.
Even more so than Wade, several NBA players have been vocal about marijuana use throughout their careers. Two-time champion Kevin Durant, for example, has never hidden his use of the drug from the public eye. In the wake of the NBA's decision to legalize marijuana use in the league, Durant has shared his honest thoughts on the relationship that athletes have with the drug.
“It’s the NBA, man. Everybody does it, to be honest. It’s like wine at this point,” Durant said. The words of Durant echoed for numerous NBA players both past and present. Brothers Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, hosts of the "All the Smoke" podcast, have made a point through their large platform to speak on how much marijuana helped them as NBA players.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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