Former WWE United States Champion MVP recently appeared on the Marking Out podcast and shared a candid story about his history with WWE’s former marijuana policy—including how he once offered to pay fines in advance so he could continue using cannabis.
“When the wellness policy started at WWE, initially, they only tested for steroids and hard drugs; they didn’t test for cannabis,” MVP recalled. “Then, as I recall, all the pillheads started complaining, ‘These other guys get to smoke weed.’ They added cannabis, but it wasn’t a suspension; it was just a $1,000 fine.”
MVP said the fine system didn’t deter him at first, especially during a time when he was earning high pay during his early push in WWE. “At that point, I was on the rocket ship, I was making ridiculous money, especially for me at that time. I said, ‘If they test us once a month and the fine is $1,000, that’s $12,000 a year.’ I went to John Laurinaitis and said, ‘Can I just give you a $12,000 check for the year? I’m gonna smoke.’”
He revealed that the fines eventually increased to $2,500 per violation, and he wasn’t the only one frequently on the list. “It was me and three other guys, I won’t bring their names up, but we would check to see who is in first place.”
After accumulating what he described as enough fines “to buy a new car,” MVP finally cut back. “I finally stopped smoking for a while.”
The interview sheds light on WWE’s previously strict, but financially punitive, stance on cannabis. However, earlier this year, it was reported that WWE removed marijuana from its banned substances list, marking a major shift in company policy regarding cannabis use by talent.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more on MVP, WWE’s evolving wellness policy, and updates from across the wrestling world.
