Michele Roberts, NBA Players Association Executive Director and new Cresco Labs Board appointee, has supported medical marijuana usage by NBA players for pain management.

Cresco Labs, one of the largest cultivation, manufacturing and retail marijuana companies in the U.S., announced the appointment of Michele Roberts, Executive Director of the NBA's Players Association, to its board. Before taking over the NBA Players Association in 2014 as the first woman to head a major professional sports union in North America, Roberts was a faculty member at Harvard Law School and a distinguished public defender and trial lawyer.

"Ms. Roberts is an outstanding addition to our board. Drawing on her experience in leading one of the most important player organizations in the sports world and her expertise in law and litigation as a highly-accomplished trial attorney and educator, Michele will provide a unique perspective at a critical time of continued growth and expansion in the industry.”

Tom Manning, Chairman of Cresco Labs

Michele Roberts has been head of the NBA's Players Association Since 2014Courtesy of Cresco Labs

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on Cresco Labs’ board and work alongside the senior leadership and management teams in their efforts to elevate the company to the next level of excellence.

Michele Roberts, Exec. Director NBAPA

The Addition of Roberts Adds Much Needed and Timely Diversity to Marijuana Industry Leadership

The lack of diversity, both by gender and race, has become a hot topic in the marijuana industry as themes such as social equity and minority participation move to the forefront following the death of George Floyd. Cannabis dispensaries were hit nationwide by looting during the protests against police brutality and systemic racism in response to Floyd's death.

With this appointment, Roberts is the first woman and first person of color to join Cresco's board.

“We are advocates of a more diverse and inclusive cannabis industry, and we are thrilled to have Michele’s counsel, experience and leadership to help influence the development of both our Company and this industry.

Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs

Supporter of Medical Marijuana

Roberts has, during her tenure, been a supporter (or at least open to the idea) of players using medical marijuana for pain management saying. In a 2018 interview, Roberts stated

What we want to do is agree on some experts that can sit down and talk to us. My own view is that there are substantial signs that support [marijuana's] efficacy and the value that it has for us, especially pain management. We’re in talks with the league to see where we can go with it.

Michele Roberts

These sentiments were echoed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver who labeled medical marijuana use by players as a "complicated issue" to be "guided by science" while also noting that he did not worry if players consumed marijuana legally during summer break.

Players such as Brooklyn Nets superstar and 2X NBA champion Kevin Durant, has been vocal in his support of marijuana use advocating for it to be taken off the banned substance list.

NBA Will Test for PEDs But Not For Marijuana Use When League Resumes Play

In a related story, the NBA did not test players for marijuana usage during the coronavirus hiatus and seemingly will not do so when play resumes July 31st in Orlando. According to The Athletics Shams Charania, marijuana testing will be temporarily suspended for the rest of the season, while performancing-enhancing drugs tests will resume.

Without question, the NBA has been the most progressive of all U.S. professional sports leagues setting an example for how to address complicated issues such as inequality, diversity, and social injustice. In these troubled times, the easing of the restrictions surrounding marijuana usage in the NBA may set an instructive example for other sports leagues.

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