Shaun Phillips played outside linebacker in the NFL for 11 seasons, but these days what he’s trying to tackle is the issue of cannabis in professional football. During his years playing for the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts, Phillips, 35, dealt with both injuries and everyday bodily wear and tear, and teams offered him addictive opioids for the pain. Based on his personal observation of the plant’s effects on him, he opted to self-medicate with marijuana instead throughout his career. The more he researched the benefits of cannabis use, the more he became convinced that players should have the choice of natural treatment. In retirement, he is working with the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition to make that a reality.

On the newest episode of GGN, Shaun Phillips joins Snoop to talk about his work with the GCC, independent cannabis research, self-medicating during his career, the NFL’s pharmaceutical solutions to players’ problems, and much more. Get a taste of the convo here and go to MERRY JANE’s Apple Music page to watch the full interview. In 30 days, the episode will also be available in full on MJ’s YouTube network, alongside all the classic GGN eps with stars like Seth Rogen, Jamie Foxx, Ice Cube, Omarion, Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, and Khloe Kardashian.