On Christmas Eve, an NBA veteran stopped by a marijuana dispensary in Santa Teresa to pick up some green stuff.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Markieff Morris visited Hi Life Pharmacy in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on Christmas Eve while spending time with family in the El Paso area, according to his friend Edgar “Chino” Tovar.
Hi Life, located at 5620 McNutt Road, offers medical and recreational marijuana under New Mexico legalization laws. Adult-use cannabis retail sales begin in April 2022.
On Christmas Eve, Lakers forward Markieff Morris stopped by a marijuana shop in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
Marijuana sales continue to climb in New Mexico. In November, pharmacies reported $45.9 million in revenue from 814,229 transactions, including $35.8 million in adult-use purchases and $10 million in medical sales. Since legalization, cumulative sales across the state have exceeded $2.02 billion, including $1.45 billion in adult-use sales and $572.7 million in medical sales, representing more than 45 million transactions, according to the New Mexico Department of Regulation and Licensing.
EL SEGUNDO, CA – FEBRUARY 4: (LR) Los Angeles Lakers’ Markieff Morris, Luka Doncic and Maxi Kleber wear their new jerseys during a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center on February 4, 2025 in El Segundo, California. (Photo by Harry Howe/Getty Images)
Can NBA players smoke marijuana?
Under the 2023 NBA-NBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), marijuana is not a prohibited substance and players will not be subject to random marijuana testing. However, the league can still take action if a player is harmed or violates laws or rules of conduct during team or NBA activities.
The agreement also allows participants to invest in cannabis-related businesses (with restrictions) and endorse certain CBD products with prior approval. In short, off-site use of marijuana does not automatically constitute a violation, but smoking while on duty is still prohibited.
Read the full CBA here.
Aaron Bedoya is a manager and content strategist at The El Paso Times. You can contact him at abedoya@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared in the El Paso Times: Markieff Morris visits Santa Teresa marijuana shop on Christmas Eve