Former NFL players Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims are partnering with Harvard to research the positive benefits of marijuana on CTE.
The former Detroit Lions wide receiver and Seattle Seahawks and Lions offensive lineman gave a six-figure donation to the International Phytomedicines and Medical Cannabis Institute at Harvard during the Cannabis Capital Conference in Detroit on Thursday, ESPN reports.
Sims and Johnson launched a brand called Primitive, and Johnson and his wife were approved to open a dispensary in February. Both men cite the experiences they had dealing with pain management through opioids as players and hope that their role in the cannabis industry and their support of Harvard’s research can help other athletes navigate pain with “hope,” and with a more holistic approach that includes less downside when compared to some of the side effects of opioids.
