BERKELEY, CA, April 1, 2018 – The University of California Athletic Department today announced the installation of the nation’s first Cannabis Field Turf (CFT) football playing surface at historic Memorial Stadium on the UC Berkeley campus.

UC Berkeley Athletic Director H. Michael Williams said the existing Memorial Stadium Field Turf, which is comprised mainly by non-sustainable crushed tire bits, will be replaced by a new aromatic surface composed of sustainable, organic, gluten-free, free-trade, shade-grown cannabis leaves.

The Strawberry Canyon gridiron venue, which will feature leaves from Berkeley’s legalized marijuana dispensaries, will immediately begin Cannabis Field Turf installation and is projected to be completed in time for the Golden Bears home opener against North Carolina on September 1. The game also coincides with 60th anniversary commemoration of the last Cal team to play in the Rose Bowl.

“The University of California is noteworthy for its legacy of protest and support for the progressive agenda,” said Williams. “We simply can no longer support the climate change contributing tire industry at Memorial Stadium. It is time — actually past time — for our university community to employ cannabis leaves in direct service of our student athletes.”

Berkeley City Mayor Jesse Arreguin saluted the UC Berkeley Athletic Department’s landmark move as consistent with the city’s sanctuary movement to support and protect its plethora of medicinal and recreational marijuana dispensaries. These include: Berkeley Patients Group, Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley, Berkeley Patients Care Collective and many others located within the city’s boundaries.

Athletic Director Williams said the department will take great care to ensure that all crushed leaves utilized to support the Golden Bears Cannabis Field Turf are locally sourced, non-industrial and non-corporate. The new hue of the Memorial Stadium CFT playing surface will mirror the exact color and texture of cannabis leaves.

California Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox predicted the novelty of the nation’s first-ever Cannabis Field Turf (CFT) will immediately assist the program’s recruiting and development efforts, while emphasizing the university’s support for medical and recreational marijuana.

Illustrating this commitment each Golden Bear football player will ingest recreational cannabis (at least two puffs and inhaling) from a special Under Armour branded team ventilator immediately before kickoff for each of the seven Memorial Stadium home games, including the 121st annual Big Game against Bay Area academic hegemon, Stanford.

University of California President Janet Napolitano regards the Memorial Stadium installation of its landmark Cannabis Field Turf as symbolic of the growing acceptance of medical and recreational use of marijuana on California’s nine UC campuses by administrators, faculty, staff and students.

“We view the UC Berkeley’s use of cannabis for its football playing surface as a bellwether for expanded use of the once-controlled substance throughout the UC system, most urgently at the University of California’s academically struggling junior campus, UCLA,” said Napolitano.

http://calbears.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)

http://calbears.com/news/2017/6/8/athletics-news-new-playing-surfaces-at-memorial-haas.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Game_(American_football)

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-berkeley-marijuana-20180214-story.html