WWE veteran star Randy Orton had previously implied how he smoked marijuana with Snoop Dogg prior to wrestling for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. It seems WWE has changed its approach towards the talents using marijuana.
Randy Orton was influential for the change
FightfulSelect.com recently noted that 4/20 can be celebrated by WWE talent without fear of repercussion as it seems. Fightful recently reported that WWE talents have told them that “they’ve not been suspended for marijuana use in “years,” a progressive change from the policy that existed previously.”
It has been noted that in the past, WWE wouldn’t suspend for marijuana use, but a huge fine would be levied against talent for testing positive. At least one wrestler said that “they still get tested for “everything,” but they just don’t get fined for weed anymore. The marijuana aspect of WWE’s Wellness Policy was rumored to have been quietly removed, but it’s still listed on WWE’s corporate site.”
Fightful further noted that WWE’s policy against weed received pushback from top stars as far back as the 1990s, when Bret “The Hitman” Hart was very outspoken about it, saying that it was a safer alternative than the other ways many wrestlers chose to cope with the rigors of the road. However, we’re told before the policy was redacted, Randy Orton was an integral figure in influencing a change on the main roster. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it has been noted the told Riddle was also outspoken about it in NXT, as well as Kona Reeves when he was still a part of the company.
One of the higher-ups spoke on the condition of anonymity said:
“I haven’t even heard anyone as much as gossip over one of the boys or girls smoking weed in years, much less a fine being handed down for it. A lot of the perception has changed, and a lot of what Bret was talking about way back when ended up ringing true. I don’t expect us to come out with WWE themed cannabis incense any time soon, but the policy has been relaxed and we’ve used a lot of that culture in our storylines.”
