Robert O’Neill, the former Navy SEAL known for killing Osama bin Laden, has entered the cannabis industry with Operator Canna Co., a state-licensed marijuana brand set to be sold in New York City dispensaries.
“I wanted to get into the cannabis business through my experience in the military and watching vets suffer from things like post-traumatic stress disorder”, O’Neil told the New York Post. “It’s a good way to take the edge off. It helps to get rid of the noise”.
O’Neil says that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to support disabled veterans through a charitable organization.
Operator Canna Co. draws from O’Neill’s military background, with the name also featured in his memoir and podcast. The company’s website features a green color scheme similar to military fatigues, with a cursor designed to resemble a sniper’s bullseye. His cannabis strains maintain the military theme, including ‘Healer-Indica,’ ‘Warrior-Sativa,’ and ‘Shooter-Hybrid.’
The cannabis products, cultivated on a farm in upstate New York, will first be available at The Flowery cannabis stores in Staten Island, Queens, the Upper West Side, and SoHo in Manhattan. O’Neill sees marijuana as a safer alternative to alcohol and prescription drugs, particularly for those in high-stress professions.
As a former SEAL, O’Neill acknowledged that marijuana was never part of his military career due to strict drug policies. Now involved in the industry, he joked that cannabis could even help ease political divisions.
“If we take cannabis, we can have better conversations. We have the potential for world peace right here,” he said.
The company’s website states, “Operator Canna Co. is on a mission to help veterans and others find healthier alternatives to harmful substances like alcohol and opiates. By offering premium, hand-crafted cannabis, we aim to provide a path to recovery and well-being, while empowering those who have served and sacrificed for our freedoms.”
O’Neill, a former member of SEAL Team 6, gained international recognition for claiming to have fired the fatal shot that killed bin Laden during a 2011 covert operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan. He recalled thinking the terrorist leader was wearing explosives that would detonate and kill the entire team.
“I thought that would be my last day on Earth: We’re going to kill him, and he’s going to kill us. We were able to fulfill the mission,” he said.
