Former Steelers Athlete Jack Ham Seeks to Run Cannabis Cultivation Farm
photo by Steelcityhobbies
Four-time Super Bowl champion Jack Ham is teaming up with AGRiMED, a company that is seeking one of 12 licenses to cultivate medical cannabis in Pennsylvania. Ham will serve as a spokesman and consultant for AGRiMED.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be issuing 12 cultivation and processor licenses for medical use throughout the state and they’ve received a flood of over 500 applications. Among those applications, 22 have applied to grow and process cannabis in the southwestern corner of the state. Growers and processors will supply dispensaries and will not be permitted to sell directly to patients. Ham aims to launch a medical cannabis farm south of the town Carmichael in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Greene County falls under Region 5 of Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program and will have two licensed grower and processor facilities.
The Johnstown-native is eager to get involved with medical cannabis in his area. “People I work with down there got me involved with AGRiMED, and it kind of just snowballed from there.” he said. “We ended up putting a relationship together, and I’m really glad we did.”
The 68-year-old played for 12 seasons and has joined the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame. He’s also one of many athletes who have questioned the NFL’s restrictive cannabis policy. According to Ham, opioid use has crippled the NFL and it’s time to come up with another solution. “I think the NFL has to take a look at this for ex-players, players like me, for opportunities to do something rather than opioids, rather than painkillers,” Ham added. “I was taking all those prescription drugs because the pain with the food injury was really very difficult for me to deal with, and if I had other options out there.” Ham said that a foot injury prevented him from playing Super Bowl XIV before alternatives like medical cannabis were available.
In April 2016, Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation that made Pennsylvania the 24th state with medical cannabis. The smokable form of cannabis, unfortunately won’t be allowed. In March, AGRiMED announced it could create over 62 new jobs in Greene County through the opening of medical cannabis facilities.
