On May 16, 2024, a pair of NFL offensive linemen were arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in Johnson County, Kansas. Wanya Morris and Chukwuebuka Godrick, who play for the Kansas City Chiefs, were booked into jail and released after posting a $2,500 bond, according to ESPN. Both medicinal and recreational cannabis are illegal in the state.
Last week, former Kansas City Chief Lineman Kyle Turley, a cannabis advocate and industry stakeholder, issued a statement attacking the Biden Administration for its failure to end the War on Drugs.
"President Biden and Vice President Harris have repeatedly touted their dedication to fixing the woes of the failed Drug War," Turley said in a statement. "...Now, [Morris and Godrick] have to go to court to clear their names for consuming a plant that millions of others are legally allowed to use and profit from."
In a recent post on X, formerly Twitter, President Biden's account said, "No one should be jailed just for using or possessing marijuana."
Turley is the co-founder of the Cannabis Freedom Party (CFP), a grassroots cannabis advocacy group started by Turley and former NFL players Jim McMahon and Ricky Williams. Turley is also the co-founder of Revenant, a cannabis brand co-owned by McMahon and former NFL player Eben Britton.
The CFP said it was "disheartened" by Morris and Godrick's arrests. The group called it "another prime example of how the Biden Administration has failed to end the War on Drugs and failed to keep their promise that no one should go to jail for cannabis."
Law enforcement pulled over a Jeep driven by Godrick for driving without taillights. During the stop, the deputy detected a "strong odor" of marijuana, and both men admitted to possessing cannabis, according to local reports.
"The media wants to portray this as more Super Bowl Champs behaving badly, when they should really be asking why Kansas has such antiquated cannabis laws," Turley continued. "If cannabis usage is permissive by the President of the United States, then why are people still going to jail in Kansas?"
Turley called on the Biden administration to put the full weight of the White House behind truly ending the War on Drugs.
