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Former Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is a mega-advocate of medical marijuana.

Megatron said it was pain he felt while participating in Dancing With the Stars, not playing in the NFL, that made him realize what a difference marijuana can make.

“When I was on the dancing show, I was using a CBD [a product of the cannabis plant] topical that my buddy gave me because my ankles were swelling up so much that I didn’t think I would be able to finish the show,” Johnson told the Detroit Free Press. “The relief happened almost overnight. I was already open-minded to marijuana, but after that, I became a true believer just because of the experience.”

Johnson is such a believer that he plans to get into the marijuana business in Michigan, which legalized recreational marijuana in November.

“I have a lot of family members who are 100 percent against this. But I know from my experience with the pain and the products that I’ve used, it’s a game changer,” he said. “We’re in a position to impact and support our communities.”

Johnson was one of the NFL’s most respected players during his career, and his status as a popular player makes him the kind of advocate who can reduce the stigma from the marijuana business.