Ever since the dawn of the outrageous ballot referendum to close recreational dispensaries in Massachusetts, your friends here at TJM have called for cannabis-aligned celebrities to step up. We’re not talking about people who are Insta-famous for pulling enormous tubes, impressive as that all may be. We’re talking about mainstream fame, and in that regard it doesn’t get any bigger than professional sports.
All of which is why it has been so exciting to see NFL Legends Ricky Williams and Kyle Turley canvassing around the Bay State this past week. They’re here with Project Champion, a “bipartisan coalition led by former professional athletes.” In this push, they’re “urging” Massachusetts voters to vote “no” on Question 8.
“Cofounders Ricky Williams, Kyle Turley, and Jim McMahon believe Massachusetts voters have an important choice this November,” according to a media statement. “Repealing recreational cannabis would turn back the clock, put locally owned businesses and jobs at risk, eliminate critical tax revenue, and push consumers back toward an unregulated market.
On Sunday, Ricky Williams joined friends and fans in Foxborough, where he greeted people with a “No on 8” sign as they approached the Patriots game. On Monday, he and Turley brought their message to Primitiv in Boston, where they spoke with former state Rep. Marie St. Fleur and Stop the Repeal Chairman Ryan Dominguez.
“We’ve experienced firsthand what happens when cannabis policy is driven by stigma instead of common sense,” the Project Champion team said. “Massachusetts should be moving forward with responsible regulation, not returning to prohibition. I’m coming to Boston with Project Champion to stand with local businesses, workers and communities and urge voters to Stop the Repeal.”
