Professional wrestler Enzo Amore has revealed that “half of WWE stars smoke cannabis” during a revealing interview on Talk Is Jericho.
The 32-year-old was famously fired from the WWE in 2018 under controversial circumstances, with allegations of sexual assault abruptly ending his short career.
On the topic of cannabis use within the WWE, Amore revealed that the company slaps those found using cannabis with a $2,500 fine, although it doesn’t prohibit the use of the drug due to the differing laws across the US states.
“I’m a huge pothead and I’m open about it now,” he admits.
“Now that I’m out of the company and I can talk about it. For six years with the company, I was never in a picture with a beer in my hand, never. I couldn’t smoke pot in the WWE for five years. They fine you for it.
“They fined you for it $2,500 and I was broke. I started off making $600 a week in the WWE for a year, so I was taking out credit cards just to pay my bills.
“So when I finally looked at my bank account, probably like six months into the main roster, I was like, ‘do you know what? I can take a fine right now.’ And I lit up a blunt again for the first time. And, to me, that is my medicine, bro.”
Enzo also revealed that even using topical CBD cream – which has no psychoactive compounds – for muscle and joint pain would result in being fined. This means that the WWE must have profited significantly from cannabis fines as he confessed that around half of the locker room consumes cannabis to assist with aches and pains after matches.
Drug tests
Despite cannabis not being included under the WWE’s official ‘prohibited drugs’ list, the policy states that ‘for positive marijuana drug tests’, the WWE Talent “shall be fined Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars ($2,500.00) per positive test, which shall be deducted from the WWE Talent’s downside guarantee.”
Despite having a strict enforcement of fines for smoking cannabis, ultimately those found using it will not be ousted from the ring if cannabis is the only substance they’re found to be using, with the more lenient approach towards weed possibly being a result of the owner and manager Vince McMahon also being a cannabis smoker.
The surprising revelation of Vince McMahon joining many WWE stars in using cannabis came from another Talk is Jericho podcast, where the podcast host Chris Jericho recounted a story Vince told him about smoking weed in front of Donald Trump before he became president.
“I remember one time Vince told me that they were watching some concert or something at Trump New Jersey, whatever it was called,” he said.
“Whatever the arena was called, Trump Arena. And Vince was sitting there with Linda, Donald, and all the heads of state, and Vince lit up a joint and Trump was like, ‘you can’t smoke that joint in here!’ And Vince goes, ‘I just did!’”
The Leaf Desk previously covered how cannabis can be used to aid sports men and women in recovering from sports-related trauma, with American footballers opting to consume cannabis after matches to benefit from the potential neuroprotective properties of the drug, which is vital for athletes who are prone to head and brain injuries.
Head Injuries
Amore isn’t the only pro wrestler who uses weed to reduce pain and aches, it’s actually far more widespread with the likes of Rob Van Dam and “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd also opting for a puff of a joint in their spare time.
Professional wrestling booker Bruce Pritchard revealed which WWE star had the biggest reputation for using cannabis and said “well, I gotta tell you man, I think RVD probably holds the record these days. Back in the day, man, the Big Cat Ernie Ladd smoked a bunch — I mean, everybody did. It was the relaxation choice of a lot of guys. There were a lot of guys that did. But you know, Ernie Ladd smoked a lot of dope, man.”
The WWE’s policy is much stricter when it comes to prescription drugs, making it preferable for wrestlers to be found using cannabis than prescription pills without valid prescription, a stance that arguably should extend to other sporting leagues such as the NFL, where cannabis can benefit those suffering from typical injuries of athletes receiving head injuries and muscle damage.
CBD has proven anti-inflammatory properties which can be beneficial for muscle aches and common injuries such as spasms and minor sprains, and can be utilised in salve or cream form to be applied directly to the problem area.
Brain injury
CBD has also shown to be useful after a traumatic brain injury where the compounds can decrease inflammatory cell activation and reduce concussion symptoms and chronic pain as a result of concussion. CBD can aid in reducing the over-production of inflammation in the brain which occurs as an immune response to head injuries, but ultimately exacerbates concussion symptoms as the head can’t withstand so much pressure.
Long-term brain traumas are a common result of wrestling, with many ex-pros suffering the life-changing and sometimes fatal outcomes of these injuries.
A second lawsuit was recently filed by former wrestlers against World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) alleging that the WWE failed to protect the wrestlers when their injuries occurred and as a result they had suffered concussions, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and other brain injuries often associated with repeated blows to the head.
Earlier this year, former WWE star Ashley Massaro sadly took her own life after replying to fan letters, and although no official cause of death has been released, she had been open with her battle with her mental health and depression.
Massaro also expressed the desire to donate her brain to science after suffering multiple concussions throughout her career, with the donation going specifically to CTE research as per her wishes, igniting a debate on whether the tragic results of repeated head trauma was partially linked to her death.
CTE cannot be diagnosed on a living person and produces symptoms including mood swings, rage and suicidal ideation often similar to those suffering from Alzheimer’s.
