UFC CANNABIS REFORM
In a “first of its kind” move the worlds top mixed martial arts promoter “UFC” alongside the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) has announced significant changes in how they handle the use of cannabis by its high profile sports stars.
Under the new policy, cannabis will no longer be a banned substance for fighters, in most cases. MMA athletes will now not face a ban if the psychoactive cannabinoid THC shows up in their pre or post-fight drugs test.
This new rule doesn’t mean that Fighters can use cannabis right before a fight, however. Fighters still run the risk of a ban and fine if any evidence is discovered, proving that cannabis was taken for performance-enhancing purposes. For this to happen, the USADA would have to prove that an athlete was under the influence of cannabis directly before a fight took place.
Jeff Novitzky UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performance said: “While we want to continue to prevent athletes from competing under the influence of marijuana, we have learned that blood/and or urine levels of carboxy-THC have little-to-no-scientific correlation to impairment”.
Novitzky further added, “ We care about what an athlete consumed the day of a fight, not days or weeks before a fight, which has often been the case in our historic positive THC cases”. “Why the hell do we care what someone did a week before, let alone a night before, when it doesn’t have any effect on their ability to fight”.
The rule change is focused on Fighters health as medicinal cannabis becomes more widely accepted. Novitzky reported that a large percentage of fighters use cannabis medicinally more so than recreationally. For many Fighters, cannabis is replacing much more potent and more addictive pharmaceutical drugs such as Xanax, Vicodin and Ambien, all of which are currently approved for fighters to take, to help them with pain control, anti-anxiety and insomnia.
The idea that fighters were being told that they could not use cannabis and instead were being pointed in the direction of opiates seems crazy. On the scale of danger and addiction, cannabis is way lower down the list than prescribed pharmaceutical opiates.
The USADA outlined this issue further in a recent press release on the subject: “This change is designed to prioritise fighter health and safety by not punishing fighters who may need treatment for substance abuse, which may lead to a fighter being impaired and jeopardise their safety in the Octagon”.
This is excellent news for athletes where UFC self regulates; however, cannabis is still a banned substance in the eyes of most athletic commissions, including Nevada (Las Vegas), who can suspend and fine athletes who test positive whilst under their jurisdictions.
Only in December 2020, MMA fighter Niko Price had his draw with Donald Cerrone overturned to a no-contest. He was fined $8,500 and received a six-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission following the discovery of cannabis metabolites in his system.
UFC is hoping that by educating, lobbying and informing the athletic commissions, they can get uniformity on the rules surrounding cannabis in the not so distant future. Whatever happens moving forward, for now, this is all a step in the right direction as cannabis continues to be de-stigmatised and recognised for its natural, therapeutical benefits. Benefits which offer a real alternative to the addictive pharmaceutical drugs that we have come to rely on. It seems like common sense is finally prevailing, and we can only hope that more sports and industries start to follow suit.
