UFC fighters who use marijuana now can rest a little more easily under the new change to the promotion’s anti-doping policy.
Athletes who test positive for carboxy-THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, will no longer be punished by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency under the UFC’s anti-doping policy, it was announced Thursday.
Positive tests for carboxy-THC, regardless of levels, will not be considered violations to the policy “unless additional evidence exists that an athlete used it intentionally for performance-enhancing purposes.”
Although the change in policy does not directly affect regulations by state athletic commissions, it’s an improvement in the reduction of potential regulatory consequences fighters may face for the use of marijuana.
That’s a huge relief to UFC fighters, some of whom took to Twitter to share their reactions.
You can check those out below:
I got the greatest birthday gift of all today, maybe 9 years late but still an amazing gift and one more thing my record is 10-3 bro pic.twitter.com/8WBMOH7fpt
— matthew riddle (@SuperKingofBros) January 14, 2021
Everyone asking about the new rule change! My situation is with NSAC not USADA. So unfortunately my suspension remains the same. https://t.co/clrUv4my5i
— Niko Price (@Nikohybridprice) January 14, 2021
About damn time 🗣🗣….can’t wait for someone to show internal affairs and I get drug tested “randomly” every week again for 6 months. https://t.co/vVZQOZj1pu
— Chris Daukaus (@ChrisDaukausMMA) January 14, 2021