Former Lions Calvin Johnson to start medical marijuana business in Michigan

Former Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson Jr. was granted preliminary licensing approval on Thursday to launch a medical marijuana business in Michigan, according to mlive.com. Johnson plans to open a chain of provisioning centres in the state under the brand name "Primitive," according to his attorney Michael D. Stein.

This was the second time Johnson had sought approval for a provisioning centre license. The Medical Marijuana Licensing Board denied his request with former Lions teammate Robert Sims two months ago, citing Johnson's traffic violations. This time, the six-time Pro Bowl selection applied with his wife, Brittney Johnson. They plan to have a fully integrated business, controlling all aspects from growing to processing to distribution, Stein said.

Johnson, 33, retired from the NFL following his ninth season with Detroit in 2015. He is the franchise's all-time leader in receptions (731), receiving yards (11,619) and touchdown catches (83).