NBA Hall of Fame Player Paul Pierce Uses CBD to Deal with PTSD and Depression

• Paul Pierce had a 19-year career in the NBA, followed by the launch of a CBD business.
• Pierce’s endeavor includes a collaboration with business partner Elliott Mermel.

Paul Pierce is a legend in the NBA, largely due to his 19-year long career as an all-star. Now, he has established himself as the co-founder and CEO of The Truth CBD Remedies and the Vesper One vape, which can be found on Eaze Wellness. However, his life has led him down a very difficult path. Back in 2002, he was stabbed 11 times, which ultimately led him to use cannabis for his own soothing of pain, PTSD, and depression.

Recently, Green Entrepreneur spoke with Pierce and business partner Elliot Mermel about their experience and their latest products. Pierce expressed that he was “excited” to be involved in a market where he can bring stability, much like other athletes that are getting involved. Pierce explained that it was a long process to get to the current point, primarily due to the stabbing over a decade and a half ago. However, he had to overcome this problem in order to play in the NBA.

Pain medication is a dangerous spiral to get roped into, especially due to the high risk of addiction with long-term use, which Pierce was faced with. He stated that he “had no clue” about what marijuana could do for him at the time, much less CBD, so he faced his problems with different medications over the years. With side effects from nearly every product, he was overwhelmed by the options.

The sports industry regulates the substances that athletes are allowed to take, and marijuana is one of the many banned substances. However, finding CBD allowed Pierce to experience relief, but without the psychoactive effects that are caused by THC. He was introduced to CBD via topicals and capsules from a friend, but it happened before legitimate cannabis shops even sold marijuana in Los Angeles.

Now, California is one of the growing number of states that has legalized both medicinal and recreational use of the substance, and there’s dispensaries practically around every corner. As the laws evolved, state shops opened, and Pierce was able to experience high quality CBD in a legal way. Though he avoided the use of CBD for the most part during the season, he would use the product in the summer.

Pierce chose to ultimately create his own company with his own flower and develop his own oil, producing everything in-house with individuals that he already knows and trusts. He was clear to point out during the interview that, for every step of the process, he is involved. The current facility he owns is 10,000-square-feet and is based in California.

The name “Truth” is no coincidence. He explained, “Truth was given to me early 2000s, I believe 2001. It was a game we played against the Lakers in the Staples Center, and I wound up having a huge game, 40+ points. I think we won the game and Shaq went up to reporters like, ‘Man, I knew this guy could play. I didn’t know he could play this good.’ He said in these exact words, ‘This guy is the [expletive] truth.’”

Turning attention to Mermel, the interview spoke on the way that he got involved with Pierce in a hookah lounge, watching the NCAA tournament. He had already recognized Pierce, introducing himself and the two individuals exchanged numbers to start exploring CBD business together. The Eaze project is still a rather new pursuit, collaborating with them this summer and launching the CBD line in Boston.

The entire interview, which touches on the lessons that Pierce has taken from professional sports to CBD and business advice that the pair would give to new entrepreneurs, is quality and seems it will not be the last we hear of Paul Pierce and CBD.