“Bud Bowl” strikes discussion on recreational marijuana use

This archived article was written by: Zach Perrin

The two states in this nation so far to legalize marijuana are sending their NFL teams to the super bowl! Following their AFC and NFC championship game wins, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos nation wasted no time in nicknaming the upcoming Super Bowl such names as the “Bud Bowl,” the “Weed Bowl,” and the “Stoner Bowl.”
I wouldn’t know what it feels like to enjoy that cannabis high, but there are many in Washington and Colorado who believe that because of marijuana, they have the best fans in the league. I don’t know if a little doobie rolling has anything to do with that, but you certainly could make the argument that the fans in Seattle and Denver are among the loudest and rowdiest in the league. Anyone who has been to a football game knows how much of an effect the home fans can have on a game. But is there a correlation between weed smoking and great fans?
I would be lying if I didn’t think that maybe deep down there actually is. Just not in the sense that you might think. Am I suggesting that if you smoke pot before a football game you are going to be a better fan than one who does not? No. What I am suggesting is that maybe the kind of people who live where recreational marijuana is legal might also be the kind of people that make for the best and loudest fans in the NFL! It’s a stretch, I know, but as a Seattle native, I can tell you that it gets so loud in that stadium that at some points during games, it literally causes earthquakes. Seattle ranks No. 1 as the loudest fan base in the NFL and Denver is not far behind at number four.
But in case you didn’t know, if you test positive for marijuana in the NFL, you are in violation of its drug policies, unlike in other sports such as hockey. Some say it should actually be allowed in the league as it acts as a natural remedy for severe headaches and concussion symptoms. So why haven’t all sports, and all states for that matter, legalized the tiny buds?
My views on marijuana are hardly extreme. I could care less if you light up, just as long as I don’t get hurt because of it. But is that the reason for deeming it illegal? How do the intoxication levels of marijuana compare to other legal substances such as alcohol or over the counter drugs? Research shows that most of those answers are still widely a matter of opinion. Will there be more states to follow in Colorado and Washington’s footsteps? Maybe not all of them, but next in line is said to be none other than the state in which the Super Bowl is scheduled to be held this year: New Jersey.