Snoop Dogg hails NBA for lifting ban over weed: "Help ease the opioids and all the pills they’ve been given”

Snoop Dogg praised the NBA after it was announced that players would no longer be tested for marijuana under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. This, of course, comes on the heels of the NBA putting a moratorium on testing after players agreed to travel to Florida to participate in the NBA Bubble.

Since then, players haven't been tested, something that many have praised the NBA for. Now, with the lack of testing formalized, it has earned the attention of none other than famed hip hop artist Snoop Dogg. The rapper, who has been an advocate for marijuana throughout his career, recently spoke about the league's decision.

The way he sees things, with other U.S. sporting leagues no longer testing for marijuana, the NBA made the right choice. During a recent episode of "Stephen A's World," Snoop weighed in on the decision:

"I thought about the medical side of it, the health benefits and how it could actually help ease the opioids and the pills that they've been given and injections. I thought about that side and how certain players have been able to have a beautiful life after sports because of the fact that they’ve been able to treat themselves with that.

"And now that the NBA is being lenient just like the NHL and just like Major League Baseball, it's all the same thing. As long as it doesn’t enhance your skills to make you play better or to give you an advantage, you should be able to treat yourself and to heal yourself.”

You can see his comments in the video above.

Stephen A Smith reacts to the NBA no longer testing for weed differently than Snoop Dogg

As Jalen Rose alluded to during the livestream with Snoop Dogg, there was a time when Stephen A. Smith famously told players to "stay off the weed!" Since then, the audio clip has gone viral, and has lived on as a meme in the hearts of NBA fans.

As it turns out, however, even though NBA players will no longer be tested for marijuana, Stephen A. Smith isn't exactly pleased. During a video posted to his YouTube account as part of his "Know Mercy" show, the famed reporter spoke about the situation.

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Snoop Dogg (WrestleMania 39)

He pointed out that he isn't necessarily against marijuana in general, and he simply doesn't want to see athletes losing money by prioritizing weed:

"My attitude has never been about the drug itself, it's been about the fact that you allowed it to cost you money. I don't understand how you can grow up poor and desolate and bust your behind and work so hard to get to a point of prosperity and then blow it because you can't stop smoking some damn weed.

"And my man Snoop Dogg had to come on the air with me to let everybody know, 'Yo he ain't talking about folks smoking weed.' ... He's talking about don't let it cost you your money."

You can see those comments in the video above beginning before the three-minute mark.

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