Pot Goes Mainstream: Michael Phelps, George Obama and Santonio Holmes

Pot played a major role in three high-profile stories this weekend – the biggest involving Olympian Michael Phelps, pictured here ripping a glass bong at a University of South Carolina house party last November. Phelps, who’s won a record 14 gold medals, was busted by the UK rag, News of the World. According to NotW’s source: “You could tell Michael had smoked before. He grabbed the bong and a lighter and knew exactly what to do. He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits.” That’s right. The “gold medal winner of bong hits…” You can read the story here,

The World Anti-Doping Agency considers marijuana a banned substance for in-competition testing only, meaning that Phelps’s “regrettable behavior” shouldn’t result in official punishment as it took place during downtime. Of course, punishment for Phelps could come in a monetary form. Phelps currently has endorsement deals with Kellogg’s, Mazda, Subway, Visa and AT&T, to name a few. Millions of dollars are at stake for the 23-year-old phenom, and the court of public opinion will likely - and unfortunately - be a factor in his fate. 

***Update*** 

Sheriff Leon Lott just revealed new punishment potential for Phelps - he intends to prosecute the swim star. According to Lott: "This case is no different than any other case ... This one might be a lot easier since we have photographs of someone using drugs and a partial confession." Clearly Sheriff Lott is concerned with keeping Richland County safe and this isn't ostentatious saber-rattling merely for the sake of publicity...   

Elsewhere - Nairobi, Kenya to be exact - President Barack Obama’s half-brother, George, was arrested during a drug raid. At first George was charged with possession, but police later clarified that he was merely in the company of people who possessed marijuana. As Kenyan police consider that to be a “petty offense,” Obama was released – which so totally doesn’t have anything to do with his famous brother.

Finally, after being arrested for possession of marijuana in October 2008, Santonio Holmes was named the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLIII (nine receptions, 131 yards, one amazing touchdown catch). Hmm, Olympians, Super Bowl MVP's... Makes you wonder if pot is a performance-enhancing drug… Congrats, Santonio!