Nevada lifts ban on marijuana use for MMA fighters, boxers

Fighters will no longer be punished if they test positive for marijuana while competing in Nevada.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), one of the most significant regulators in combat sports, voted Wednesday to lift its ban on cannabis use, according to ESPN's Marc Raimondi.

The new policy, which took effect the same day, is not retroactive to ongoing cases, and it will impact MMA fighters and boxers competing in the state.

"We should always be at the forefront of these issues," NSAC chairman Stephen J. Cloobeck said, per Raimondi.

"I believe it's warranted and merited since (marijuana) is legal in this state. ... I think we need to jump forward, being the leader as we've always been."

The NSAC will still test for marijuana for data purposes over the next six months, after which it will decide whether or not to continue the testing.

Earlier in 2021, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) - the UFC's anti-doping partner - announced it would no longer consider positive marijuana tests an anti-doping violation.

USADA can still discipline an athlete if there's evidence they used marijuana to enhance their performance or if they are visibly under the influence on the day of a fight.

Similarly, the NSAC will also remove a fighter from a bout if they are visibly impaired on the day of a match, according to MMA Fighting's Damon Martin.

Before Wednesday's rule change, the NSAC suspended athletes who tested positive for marijuana at a level above 150 ng/ml for up to nine months and fined them a percentage of their purse.

Several state commissions, including California and New York, still ban marijuana use. Florida stopped testing for cannabis in May.