The medical episode that Heat guard Dion Waiters experienced during a team flight was a panic attack that resulted from “consuming a THC-infused edible,” sources tell Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The incident happened after Thursday’s game in Phoenix, which Waiters missed because of a stomachache. He was trying to relieve that condition when he took a substance that he wasn’t familiar with, according to the ESPN writers, and received medical treatment when the plane landed in Los Angeles. Heat officials declined to comment on the report.
THC is included on the NBA’s list of banned substances. The league, its teams and the Players Association are all prohibited from releasing information about the testing or treatment of players in the anti-drug program, tweets salary cap expert Albert Nahmad. The only exceptions involve suspension or dismissal of players for drug violations.
Nahmad notes that players with marijuana violations are required to enter into the league’s marijuana program. There is no penalty for a first violation, but the league imposes a $25K fine for a second offense, a five-game suspension for a third offense and longer suspensions for subsequent violations (Twitter link).
South Florida Fox Sports Radio host Andy Slater reported Friday that Waiters overdosed on “gummies,” which is a term for an edible form of marijuana. Gummies have been readily available in Denver, where the Heat began their latest road trip, since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana.
Waiters has yet to play this season and has only been on the bench for two of the team’s nine games. His contract includes a $1.2MM bonus if he plays 70 games, but that seems unthinkable now, especially in light of the new revelations. Waiters is signed through the end of next season and is owed a total of $24.75MM.
Let’s get marijuana off the list of banned substances good god
So kids can watch their idols smoke weed when they’re not on the court? Sounds like a great idea.
Omg a grown man smoking marijuana, oh the humanity! Next they’ll be drinking beer
I Hope you are talking about analcholic beer. Think of the children! Marijuana is not on the bible, i remind you.
It’s called parenting. Should we also let kids never get on the internet or go to parties?
Why? Marijuana would have no benefits and would be used for injuries that they would be off the floor for already.
Smoking marijuana is no big deal. Taking so many edibles you have a seizure while on a work trip is.
Lol yeah he went too hard
Sounds like someone’s gonna be drug tested by the league.
How many of those gummies did he eat? Know your doses.
He must have ate a bunch. The non medical ones are weak
Maybe where you’re from
Actually there are some very high THC% ones out there that are non medical. Eating 3,4 or 5 of them will put someone on a borderline tripping level that will put a non hard core person over the edge in a freak out mode pretty easily.
Know your dose and what your taking is always best.
There’s good and bad with THC and it all depends on the person.
Just like 2 or 3 rum and cokes with Bacardi 151 is good. A whole bottle is very bad.
Just hope he’s doing well. Really looking forward to a dialed in Neon Deion next to Butler.
That’s actually a lot of rum.
Gotta start with a 10mg dose and add another 10mg ‘layer’ a couple hours later. I should be a doctor.
Ahhh, the ‘ol “substance that he wasn’t familiar with”, lol.
Gets ‘em every time.
There’s always that one guy who gets caught and ruins it for everyone else lol
I’m a supporter of marijuana for whatever use a person wishes to use it for. But I have experienced the panic attack from edibles and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. Edibles seem to help better with pain but unlike inhaling it you don’t get that warning where your mind/body tell you that’s enough. Because it’s a delayed affect you can overdose as easy as eating too many sweets after dinner. I personally made a stupid choice and didn’t listen to a friend on how much to eat but if you are buying “black market” they could be easily be stronger than what you’re told
Only a matter of time before he’s out of the league.
Which, ironically, has nothing to do with him tripping balls. That’s just funny (and also sucks for him).
You can’t just throw them in your mouth like gummies with vitamins or minerals.
BTW: Recreational drug fans should come up with their own words.
OR– candy gummies, the original makers. “Gummies” should be an innocent term!