Ricky Williams’ fondness of marijuana is nothing new, but now he’s taking it to the next level.
Williams is partnering with Jim McAlpine to open what they believe will be the first cannabis-friendly gym. The gym is set to open this fall in San Francisco. But it won’t be a joke where people just toke up and mess around; they say the focus will be on actually working out.
“It won’t be a place to get high and just screw around,” said Jim McAlpine, who also founded the 420 Games. “We are focused on the athletic side, not the cannabis side.”
They plan to test members for performance to find their optimal use of marijuana in association with working out.
It’s clear they’re serious about this. They will allow vaping marijuana and edible marijuana on-site to start, with a plan to allow smoking it outside in the future.
Williams was one of the most successful college running backs ever and the NFL’s rushing leader in 2002, but his career was derailed by multiple failed drug tests, which even led to a year away from football.
With the gym, Williams aims to change the perception of marijuana, which he believes is evolving in society.
“For the most part, the NFL is a closed system; they don’t have to keep up with the times,” said Williams. “Because they are a business that depends on viewership, only when the viewers speak, the NFL will follow.”
There is little doubt about how Williams feels about marijuana. He once analogized his use of it to Popeye slamming spinach. Now he seems to be putting his love of marijuana to good use.
Helmet smack to Pro Football Talk
