Former National Football League (NFL) running back Ricky Williams on Monday launched his cannabis brand Highsman. In addition to the cannabis products, the brand will also include apparel and a functional accessories line, which will include rolling trays, cases, and water bottles.
“It is time we change the way we talk about cannabis. Highsman is about an appreciation for greatness. There is a passionate and dedicated team behind the brand, and together we want to help all people inspire greatness in themselves.” — Williams in a press release
The flower products are football-themed — the sativa strain is called “Pregame,” the hybrid strain is “Halftime,” and the indica strain is named “Postgame.” The strains will be released in eighths and pre-rolls. The brand name itself is a spinoff of the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the best all-around player in college football. Williams won the Heisman as a member of the Texas Longhorns in 1998.
Williams was suspended five times during his NFL career for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, missing two full seasons. In March, the NFL announced it would end suspensions for positive cannabis tests and raised the threshold for a failed test from 30 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood to 150 nanograms.
Highsman CEO Eric Hammond noted that the brand has been “years in the making.”
“Highsman is at the intersection of sports and cannabis and was created for fans and aficionados of both,” Hammond said in a statement. “Highsman launches at a tipping point where sports and cannabis collide, and we are excited to continue to break boundaries between the two.”
Several other former NFL players have either launched cannabis brands or invested in the industry, including former running back Marshawn Lynch.
Highsman will be available first in California, Nevada, and Oregon.
William launched his first brand, Real Wellness, in 2018.
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