NSAC could remove marijuana from banned substances list
The Nevada State Athletic Commission could be changing its drug policies.
The NSAC will vote Friday on potentially removing cannabinoids (marijuana) from the list of banned substances, according to its Jan. 13 meeting agenda. This decision follows the state of Nevada legalizing marijuana last November.
Excluding marijuana from the banned substances list could have a major impact on mixed martial artists competing in Nevada. In September 2015, UFC welterweight Nick Diaz received a five-year suspension from MMA and a $165,000 fine when he tested positive for marijuana metabolites following a fight with Anderson Silva. The suspension was reduced to 18 months after an appeal, but Diaz is yet to return to competition.
Former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez also raised eyebrows recently when he revealed that he was using medicinal marijuana to help him deal with lingering injuries during his training for a rematch with Fabricio Werdum (the bout was later canceled when the NSAC ruled Velasquez unfit to compete).
It's important to note that the NSAC's decision will have no bearing on the policies of the World Anti-Doping Agency or the United States Anti-Doping Agency, both of which include marijuana on their lists of banned substances. The USADA is the official drug testing partner of the UFC.
- With h/t to FOX Sports