Baseball Legend David Ortiz Says Father's Cancer Diagnosis Fueled His Passion For Cannabis

David Ortiz, former Red Sox slugger and Baseball Hall of Famer has been open about his passion for weed and he wanted people to know why at the grand opening of Primitiv, a black-owned dispensary in Boston founded by NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson and his former teammate and business partner Rob Sims.

Nicknamed "Big Papi,” the Dominican-American designated hitter and first baseman who played 20 seasons in the Major League (1997- 2016), mostly for the Red Sox, took the opportunity to support his “homeboys” at Primitiv's launch and also introduce his own premium brand “Papi Cannabis.” 

Father’s Cancer

Ortiz, who has said he started using marijuana to manage pain on and off the field, announced that it is now helping his father who has prostate cancer. 

“He would always want me to bring THC to him, whether it’s the gummies or flower because it helps him deal with the pain,” Ortiz said, per Boston.com. “People need to know about that. And for me, that’s what got me into it. All the pain that I have to deal with, the stress, you know, there are a lot of things that are bad for our body that THC that cannabis can help you out with.” 

Ortiz stressed that people need to know more about cannabis than just the recreational side.

“The most important thing to me behind the weed business, the cannabis, is the history behind it,” he said. “For example, in my case, I have a story to tell about why I use cannabis, why I think people should use it, and what’s the real deal behind it. Because what people always think about is the recreational side of it. People don’t realize that there’s a medical side of cannabis that needs to be exposed.”

Papi Cannabis, which includes a range of products like flower, pre-rolled blunts called “Sweet Sluggers” and “Moonshot” vape cartridges, will help spread the word. Ortiz said his brand is planning on selling edibles, too. 

If you want to talk more about the ever-expanding list of athletes ditching addictive pharma pain drugs for cannabis, join us at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago this Sept 27-28. Get your tickets today before prices go up and secure a spot at the epicenter of cannabis investment, retail, culture and branding.

Photo courtesy of PapiCannabis website