What raised some eyebrows was Jackson saying the NBA will never be able to legislate marijuana out of the game because it has become part of the NBA lifestyle.
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“We have tried to stop [marijuana use] in the NBA. I don’t think we have been able to stop it,” he said. “I think it still goes on and is still a part of the culture in the NBA. It is something that we either have to accommodate or figure out another way to deal with it.”
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Jackson’s comments come days after Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who also played in the NBA, admitted to using marijuana while dealing with chronic back pain after surgery. The recreational use of marijuana is now legal in seven states and another 20 states have legalized medical marijuana.
Jackson said his own marijuana use during the 1969-70 season “was a distraction for me as much as a pain reliever, but I never thought of it as ultimately a pain medication for that type of situation.”
