Should WWE superstars be allowed to smoke marijuana?

[CM Steel]

The WWE has a wellness policy that is strickly enforced. And not that long after the Benoit tragedy the wellness policy was like law backstage in the WWE. The WWE has also told it's employees that smoking marijuana is not a go as well. As we know by now marijuana is now legal in the states of Washington and Colorado, which are popular states where WWE live events are held the majority of the year. In the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has stated after the election in sports news that the law of smoking weed in those states for NFL players are still the same as before it became legal. A no-no.

But the WWE is different. You don't play wrestling you perform it. And why is marijuana looked down on in the WWE anyway? Weed doesn't play a factor in the wrestlers performance. For example Rob Van Dam. The WWE knew before they signed RVD to the company that he likes to smoke weed. Remember back at the One Night Stand 1 pay per-view in 2005 in where former ECW head figure Paul Heyman said in the middle of the ring on the mic, "my eyes are red not because I had been crying, but because I was in the back smoking a joint with Rob Van Dam". Something that you wouldn't see or hear on a WWE TV PPV or not.

But now wrestlers in the WWE can get fined up to $2,000 for failing a drug test from smoking marijuana. Guys like Jeff Hardy, MVP, R-Truth, and Evan Bourne had been fined for failing this drug test and later fined and suspended. But should weed even be token that serious? So in your own opinion. Should WWE superstars be allowed to smoke marijuana?

 

[cmedge]

I think they should and this is coming from a non-weed smoker btw, I don't think weed in moderation is even that bad. It's not the worst of the worst so I think it should be allowed. Once weed hopefully becomes more legalized in America they'd be more lenient to weed.

 

[A11oftheLights]

As long as there is a way to prove they arent going out to the ring under the influence then sure go ahead. But imagine someone does a suplex and slams them on their head, or they do a senton and land on their neck?

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Being under the influence of marijuana can impair a person's judgement, just like alcohol and other drugs can. It doesn't matter if some states have legalised it or not, WWE shouldn't allow any performer to wrestle while under the influence of any substance. Alcohol is legal, but you wouldn't see John Cena going out to the ring pissed out of his head. Wrestling involves trusting your opponent to perform the moves safely and you are expected to protect the person you are working with, as a mistake can be extremely dangerous.

Would you want to take a moonsault or a powerbomb from someone who was stoned? Would you fuck. WWE shouldn't allow their wrestlers to smoke weed at any point, as a joint smoked before a show could still affect a wrestler's performance in the ring, and possibily result in a serious injury for their opponent and a costly lawsuit.

 

[Jdulemba1001]

No they shouldn't. Im not one to say that weed is or isn't bad, should or should not be legal. But in almost every state, its illegal. I think you can revisit this argument if it is ever legalized in every state, but until then, no. You can't take chances allowing something in your wellness policy that isn't allowed by law.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

While it's true that the government has brainwashed generations of people with propaganda greatly exaggerating, if not outright lying about, the detriments of marijuana use, some advocates of marijuana have gone the route of suggesting that there are virtually no detriments at all.

If you were ever shown the old propaganda movie "Reefer Madness" in which a guy smokes weed at a party, has a psychotic break and winds up committing murder in school or college, then you know how ridiculous some of the governments claims are. However, those who say weed isn't addictive aren't being entirely truthful because I've known people who have gotten addicted to it. Marijuana can most definitely impair judgment, physical coordination, reflexes, cognitive functions, etc. just like any other intoxicant.

I'm with Triple Naitch on this because all of these impaired functions can most certainly play a pivotal role in putting on a pro wrestling match. These guys have to trust one another to be able to provide as much protection while performing these dangerous moves as much as they can. I've been to some wrestling shows on the indie scene where some of the workers have worked matches while clearly under the influence of something. Back in the early 2000s, I saw a show featuring a "street fight" where one guy was so whacked out of his head that he swung a steel chair and wound up cracking a 16 year old girl in the side of the head with it, it turns out the wrestler had a blood alcohol level of .21.

If I was a construction foreman in charge of a crew erecting a 50 story office building, I wouldn't want the men operating the cranes lifting these 2+ ton steel girders sparking one up. I wouldn't want guys working the same block with me having a toke when we're in the process of guarding 500 convicts. I wouldn't wanna take a powerbomb from Brock Lesnar if he'd lit himself a doobie 5 minutes before our match started.

If a wrestler is on leave healing up from the wear & tear of the road, just getting some rest, recovering from injury, is essentially gonna be off the road for a few months, then I'd have no personal problem with them smoking weed. But on the job, where having all your wits about you can mean the difference between going out to the bar after the show and heading to the emergency room, just say no.

 

[FlairFan2003]

Until it's legal nationwide then no. It's too difficult to monitor if you only 'allow' it in legalized states, then try to test and enforce the rest of the time.

It may end up being legalized in our lifetime but until then you cant encourage or ignore the law.

 

[Vintage]

Being under the influence of marijuana can impair a person's judgement, just like alcohol and other drugs can. It doesn't matter if some states have legalised it or not, WWE shouldn't allow any performer to wrestle while under the influence of any substance. Alcohol is legal, but you wouldn't see John Cena going out to the ring pissed out of his head. Wrestling involves trusting your opponent to perform the moves safely and you are expected to protect the person you are working with, as a mistake can be extremely dangerous.

Would you want to take a moonsault or a powerbomb from someone who was stoned? Would you fuck. WWE shouldn't allow their wrestlers to smoke weed at any point, as a joint smoked before a show could still affect a wrestler's performance in the ring, and possibily result in a serious injury for their opponent and a costly lawsuit.

There is one major difference between Alcohol and Weed. I'll put it in real simple terms for you. Remember Scott Halls WCW run. Would you want to take the Outsiders Edge from a stumbling Scott Hall, or a Flipping Senton table spot from Mr THC RVD. What you really don't want is to wrestle someone doing both..

 

[Creepy Old Man]

All drugs mess with the mind and it's garbage to say otherwise. Legal or not, they're bad for you.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

There is one major difference between Alcohol and Weed. I'll put it in real simple terms for you. Remember Scott Halls WCW run. Would you want to take the Outsiders Edge from a stumbling Scott Hall, or a Flipping Senton table spot from Mr THC RVD. What you really don't want is to wrestle someone doing both..

A wrestler shouldn't perform under the influence of ANYTHING. It's that simple. A Razor's Edge from a drunk Scott Hall is a neck-breaking move if botched. At the end of the day a professional wrestler should be 100% sober and coherant every time they step into a ring. I know there was/is a drug problem in the business, and certainly wrestlers will have performed drunk before, but WWE should do everything possible to ensure that doesn't happen on one of their shows, as the potential for injury is far greater if one of the guys in the ring is messed up on something.

 

[Soulblazed]

I think once weed's legalized in every state WWE should allow their wrestlers to smoke weed. One major reason why I see it as a good thing is that weed(especially when it's in a highly concentrated oil) cures every disease you can think of-cancer, lupus, Crohn's Disease, glaucoma, Hep C, etc..Hence, weed(especially highly concentrated oil) would definitely allow a good amount of wrestlers to stop taking so many deadly pain pills, somas, etc

For those of you who haven't heard of Rick Simpson Oil(the highly concentrated oil I was mentioning) then here's a documentary called "Run From The Cure"-http://thecrowhouse.com/rftc.html

Rick Simpson Oil can also heal concussions and seeing as how a good amount of WWE wrestlers have suffered concussions within the last few years, this is something WWE should look into, as far as research is concerned.

 

[The Butcher]

We're talking the health and safety of others here. As my prior moniker alluded to, I used to work a job where I had to be as clearheaded as possible or else risk making a mistake that could literally kill someone. I don't work that job anymore, so sometimes I indulge in a joint or two. I like it, I believe in its medicinal properties, and I think it should be legal. I in no way, however, would use it if I went back into medicine or any other job where people depend on me for their health or safety. Being a pro wrestler is that type of job.

Even if you don't agree, just think of how much it would set back the cause of marijuana legalization if a stoned wrestler crippled his opponent. Heck, I wouldn't want to wrestle high-- all that running and jumping and shit. Seriously, though, there's no reason to advocate this. An emphatic "no" on this one.

 

[Jimmy Carter]

Yes, of course WWE should allow superstars to consume cannabis. Smoking it is possible, but also passe. The company would be able to better control usage by allowing certain forms like concentrated extracts and oral capsules. With this approach they could ensure that superstars avoid cognitive impairment by taking it as medication specifically directed towards pain relief and muscle relaxation.

Additionally:

One night a year, around April 20th, they should run a pay per view where everyone (including the backstage officials and crew) smokes copious amounts of herb. Everyone ingests edibles, inhales from various paraphernalia, and THC vapor is continuously pumped throughout the arena vents. If that itself didn't garner enough buys and/or subscriptions, WWE could always sell it as the ultimate post-Wrestlemania blowoff.

 

[Soulblazed]

Yes, of course WWE should allow superstars to consume cannabis. Smoking it is possible, but also passe. The company would be able to better control usage by allowing certain forms like concentrated extracts and oral capsules. With this approach they could ensure that superstars avoid cognitive impairment by taking it as medication specifically directed towards pain relief and muscle relaxation.

Additionally:

One night a year, around April 20th, they should run a pay per view where everyone (including the backstage officials and crew) smokes copious amounts of herb. Everyone ingests edibles, inhales from various paraphernalia, and THC vapor is continuously pumped throughout the arena vents. If that itself didn't garner enough buys and/or subscriptions, WWE could always sell it as the ultimate post-Wrestlemania blowoff.

I like your way of thinking..Especially by mentioning using cannabis concentrates/oils...Using vaporizers as well as cannabis drink mixes would also be a good addition to what you were suggesting. I wish more people realized how effective of a medicine cannabis truly is.

With WWE being as Disneyfied as it is today I doubt a 4/20 PPV would happen, but if it did, then at least RVD would be able to main event it, maybe even win a match and then go into the crowd post-match and smoke/vaporize with fans as the PPV goes off the air..Shit, I'll say this much-If cannabis was available at wrestling shows instead of beer, there wouldn't be fights, nor would fans be hopping over the barricade trying to bumrush their way into the ring, either.

 

[Pratham]

Should they? Yes. Will they? No.
Vince McMahon is all about keeping a good image of WWE in public. Plus with Linda running for Senator.... Nah.

 

[Mustang Sally]

But the WWE is different. You don't play wrestling you perform it.

True, but if you're producing a stage play and you were the director or an investor, you certainly wouldn't want an actor playing before the audience while altered by any substance.

In fact, in any form of employment that requires keeping "straight" during business hours (can you think of a job that doesn't?) the employee has to stayed unimpaired.

If you're in a U.S. state in which marijuana is legal, I suppose a WWE employee should be allowed to use it as long as their employer can be assured it's effects can be kept far away from the job.

Of course, if the employer makes you sign a contract that forbids it's usage....and the employee signs the contract.....then, it's forbidden. The employee has the option of not signing the contract and not working for the company.

I still wonder about Rob Van Dam's deal. Apparently, he left WWE years ago because he preferred smoking weed than continuing his employment with them. So what does he do now? Does he not indulge himself for the 90 days he's performing.....and then go right back to it while on hiatus? Has he given it up altogether? Or has WWE told him: "Do what you want, as long as you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you're in the ring?"

Yeah, Vince McMahon has adapted with the times, however much some folks think he hasn't. Still, if he's running a show in Colorado and catches an employee one toke over the line while on the job, I doubt his response would be much different than it's ever been.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The difficulty WWE AND all the sports organisations now have is how do you prevent someone doing something legal in their own home? RVD's deal is clearly set up so he has "on" and "off" periods... most likely they have to give him 30 days notice of when they want him to start and he has to show up clean and pass tests the whole time he is "on" but during those off periods, they can't do anything at all.

Now dope is no different than alcohol in many states and more all the time, WWE and any body has that hard call to make... They can say "you don't show up for work drunk, so you don't show up on weed" but they can't say "you can't drink off duty" and treat weed differently if it's legal... All they can arguably do is make it very difficult to remain in the state where it is legal, like insisting traveling to the next town that night etc...

Personal responsibility comes into it. Jack Swagger got caught but he wasn't at work, he wasn't wrestling under the influence... The danger WWE has is that they have removed all the steroids, all the painkillers and soon their guys will have no way to relax... that's gonna mean more burned out wrestlers younger...

There is no right or wrong, but balance is key... the 3 strikes rule is there for a reason.. these aren't Olympic athletes, who have the most ridiculous system of having to know exactly where you will be a year in advance down to the hour... these are actors. If their Hollywood peers can snort, smoke and do as they please off camera, why should they be different?

 

[Bagpipes]

Have to agree that the dangers associated with a pro wrestler being intoxicated (on any substance) are overwhelmingly enough to ban marijuana use among active roster members. As someone said, if you're injured and off for 2 months, blaze up all you want, but when you're on the road you should be expected to respect the safety of your coworkers by staying clean and sober.

 

[Navi]

Wrestling is a sport where the moves can be crippling if not performed correctly. We've seen time and time again, the simplest of moves hurt someone. Do we really want wrestler's out there with somewhat impaired judgement performing these on someone else.

It would be like watching a car accident in slow motion. The WWE makes a big deal of telling others that their wrestlers are trained athletics, with years of experience and these moves shouldn't be performed by anyone else. And now people want to let these trained athletics perform stoned.

It might be legal in two states, but in the other 50 it isn't. And once you have a drug conviction, good luck getting into other countries. Canada is a frigging nightmare from what I've heard, and wasn't that the reason Jeff Hardy couldn't perform overseas with TNA.

 

[Bagpipes]

Another point, alcohol is legal in every state but I'd be willing to bet if anyone on the roster was found to be intoxicated due to alcohol consumption during an event, in-ring or not, there would be repercussions. Not only are you endangering your peers, you're making the company look bad and insure that ain't gonna fly with Vincent Kennedy

 

[ShawnDiscipleSmith]

Everyone keeps saying impaired. That's not the typical reaction to marijuana usage. Especially if the issue is a habitual user. It has been Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The smoking of it for depression, nausea, restlessness, nerve damage, eating disorders, sleeping disorders. The concentrated oil ( and a big props to whoever linked Run from the Cure) the oil kills cancer. To be more specicic, lab tests have proven that THC oil kills mutating cells while leaving healthy cells to prosper. Why is there such a stigma against this wonderful medicine? If CM Punk can have an Ambien to sleep, and then come to work the next day, why can't RVD have a flower? Because Big Pharma didn't condition the western world to think that Ambient makes blacks and Mexicans rape white women, like they did with RVD's flower. I'd go out on a limb and say, if I had to wrestle Sabu, and Sabu WASN'T STONED, I'd be terrified for my life.

 

[Kidpolean]

I think that a lot of people on here dont actually know what weed does to you. Its not like alcohol, I'm sure, because ive seen it, that someone could fully wrestle a safe match high on weed. However, nobody should ever use drugs at work, so its still wrong. Weed is fine and should be legal and honestly ive never really heard a good reason why it should be illegal. Hell, my entire high school football team played high almost every game and there was never any problems. Its really just a muscle relaxer that makes everything funny. And trust me, one slam on the mat will instantly kill your high anyway.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Another point, alcohol is legal in every state but I'd be willing to bet if anyone on the roster was found to be intoxicated due to alcohol consumption during an event, in-ring or not, there would be repercussions. Not only are you endangering your peers, you're making the company look bad and insure that ain't gonna fly with Vincent Kennedy

Yes, but they're not gonna stop you sinking beers after the show... only hold it against you if you get a DUI or show up still steaming. "Partying" is part of wrestling and much bonding is done through it on the roster, but as more substances become legalised in more states, WWE has a problem of where to draw the lines of acceptable. Do they act like NFL/Premier Leauge coaches and outlaw booze during their "work time", not really gonna fly in the "land of the free" for what basically are actors.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Everyone keeps saying impaired. That's not the typical reaction to marijuana usage. Especially if the issue is a habitual user. It has been Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The smoking of it for depression, nausea, restlessness, nerve damage, eating disorders, sleeping disorders. The concentrated oil ( and a big props to whoever linked Run from the Cure) the oil kills cancer. To be more specicic, lab tests have proven that THC oil kills mutating cells while leaving healthy cells to prosper. Why is there such a stigma against this wonderful medicine? If CM Punk can have an Ambien to sleep, and then come to work the next day, why can't RVD have a flower? Because Big Pharma didn't condition the western world to think that Ambient makes blacks and Mexicans rape white women, like they did with RVD's flower. I'd go out on a limb and say, if I had to wrestle Sabu, and Sabu WASN'T STONED, I'd be terrified for my life.

You're delusional. Marijuana makes you HIGH. That's why we all fucking love it. A wrestler shouldn't be tripping balls when he's wrestling a match and is capable of hurting others.

Marijuana probably won't cause a car crash but it will make you forget your baby is on the roof while you speed away.

Marijuana impairs judgment. Saying otherwise is ridiculous.

Yes, but they're not gonna stop you sinking beers after the show... only hold it against you if you get a DUI or show up still steaming.

Actually, WWE has a very strict 24-hour policy against drinking before or after shows. If you're working Smackdown, you cannot drink after Raw, period. If you're working a live event on Wednesday, you can't drink after Smackdown either. Serena was released because she kept drinking after shows, and it was against company policy. You don't have to show up drunk to get in trouble for drinking in the WWE.

 

[Nate DaMac]

You shouldn't work high, saying otherwise is completely ******ed. I'm a daily user myself but I would never do my job high, especially if others were putting their well-being in my hands.

The problem is there's no test that determines whether you're high or not. A urinalysis determines whether or not you have Marijuana in your system but weed can stay in your system for 30+ days depending on your body fat levels. The saliva tests can tell whether or not you've smoked in the past 24 hours but they are easily beaten (if you simply brush your teeth, it won't show up. At least that's been my experience.)

Honestly though, WWE's system seems more than fair compared to pretty much any other employer. They fine you 2,500 bucks for a dirty drop if it's just weed. They don't suspend you (Evan Bourne was suspended for Synthetic Marijuana, entirely different animal.) The major sports in America suspend for you for a lengthy amount of time and any normal person would be fired from their job.