Former basketball star Matt Barnes is expanding his interests in the cannabis industry.

The long-term advocate of marijuana is on the brink of launching his own range of cannabis products called ‘Swish’.

The retired LA Lakers forward has been backing a raft of marijuana and CBD companies for several years, and is now on the brink of launching Swish in partnership with Seven Leaves in Sacramento where he spent much of his professional playing career.

Barnes is on the board at Seven Leaves and has been instrumental in several cannabis company boardrooms as he strives to tackle the “negative stigma” attached to the use of cannabis.

Loaded dreams

Swish will hit the market with a selection of four pre-rolled joints designed to be enjoyed throughout the day. The 6ft 7ins athlete has the ‘Wake-N-Bake’, ‘Post Workout’, ‘Happy Hour’ and, finally, a heavy indica-dominant blend called ‘Loaded Dreams’.

It is understood the Seven Leaves partnership will also see Swish producing several CBD products aimed at the medicinal market.

Following the Swish launch, Barnes has indicated that he intends to be part of a movement to hasten change in US legislation surrounding cannabis.

The NBA Championship winner has already taken his first steps towards that goal by partnering with the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative which has a program funded by professional athletes.

“My ultimate goal is to get it legalised, or to be a part of the team that gets it legalised in professional sports,” he says.

“Some of the top athletes in the world are cannabis consumers, and some of the top doctors in the world, lawyers – you name it – all consume cannabis.

“So, I’m hoping my efforts with UCLA can take the stigma out of it.”

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