Feb 2nd–Feb 8th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times State Licensed Dispensaries & Doctor Cer tifications 35 Highsman Winner Retired NFL player Ricky Williams brings his cannabis brand to fans in Phoenix. BY MATT HENNIE F ormer NFL running back and Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams touched down in Phoenix last week for a rush of public appearances to tout Highsman, his cannabis brand, as it expands into Arizona — just ahead of the Super Bowl crush in the Valley. The timing wasn’t coincidental. Williams, who played 11 seasons in the NFL, puts Highsman at the intersection of sports and cannabis — two popular indus- tries in the state. “I really like the way the Arizona market has embraced cannabis and brought creativity to it,” Williams said in a break between signing autographs at the Harvest of Phoenix dispensary on West Indian School Road. “It’s inspiring. I was like we’re missing an opportunity if we don’t get in the mix, and it’s a big sports town. So it checked all the boxes.” Highsman partnered with Abundant Organics to expand the brand into Arizona. And Williams spent two days meeting fans, signing autographs, and promoting cannabis during stops at five Harvest loca- tions in metro Phoenix and another in Cottonwood on January 25 and 26. Highsman entered the state through an exclusive retail partnership with Trulieve and Harvest, but goes into wider distribu- tion on February 4. “To launch in Arizona during the Super Bowl and Waste Management Tour is a truly surreal moment for the brand,” Eric Hammond, CEO of Highsman, said in a prepared statement. “Together with Trulieve and Abundant Organics, we will enter the Southwest at a time when all eyes are on Arizona, and introduce our products to its cannabis-savvy consumer.” For Trulieve, which bought Harvest’s 39 shops across five states in 2021, partnering with Williams to expand Highsman into Arizona was a perfect fit for the cannabis company. “Ricky was well known for his belief in the power of cannabis during his playing days, and the Highsman brand reflects his values and passion for cannabis,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said in a prepared statement. Cannabis is personal for Williams, whose NFL career was interrupted after testing positive for marijuana several times before his final retirement in 2012. Fast-forward more than a decade, and the NFL, along with other professional sports leagues, is softening its stance on cannabis — and more pro athletes are publicly supporting it and talking about its medicinal value. “The biggest changes in the sports leagues are the players changing their atti- tude about this. The balance is starting to shift and I think as more players feel comfortable telling their story — they are only telling the truth. It’s not that they’re making anything up, they’re just telling the truth,” Williams said. “The question moves away from how do we punish them for doing it to how can we help them and use it in ways that improve? Part of that is research, and it’s talking to guys like me and guys that have used cannabis and are really successful. There’s so many people out there that we look up to and we praise and you know one of the things that helps them achieve is they’re using cannabis,” he added. When Williams arrived at a Harvest store on January 25, he faced a crowd of fans carrying sports memorabilia from Williams’ NFL days — posters, magazines, and footballs. The athlete-turned-entre- preneur said his pro career is opening the eyes of sports fans to cannabis — and is also something that helps differentiate his brand in Arizona’s crowded pot marketplace. “What’s behind my brand is my actual lived experience. I’m motivated not about money, but I think this is an important message that needs to get out into the world and why I’m so excited about this market,” Williams said. But don’t worry, sports (and pot) fans. Williams returns to Phoenix during the Super Bowl. He’s among the former NFL players headlining the Remembrance: Health & Wellness Festival on February 11. Trulieve and Harvest are hosting Cannablitz 2023 on February 11 at Trulieve Roosevelt Row. The tailgate party includes cannabis vendors, food trucks, glass- blowing, and a consumption bus. | CANNABIS | Former NFL player Ricky Williams visited Harvest dispensaries across the Valley, including one on West Indian School Road, on January 25 and 26 to promote the expansion of his cannabis brand into Arizona. Matt Hennie
