UFC Fighters Using Marijuana
Still, some state athletic commissions and regulatory boards governing combat sports have continued to push back against Cannabis
Translated from The GrowthOp site
A survey among 170 mixed martial arts fighters found that nearly half of the respondents use marijuana for recreational or recovery purposes and the overwhelming majority - almost 80% - use CBD products.
"I think that seems pretty accurate," said Jeff Novitzky, UFC's senior vice president of athlete health and performance, to The Athletic, which conducted the survey.
Novitzky continued to say that he asks fighters more questions about marijuana than any other topic.
Several fighters have been candid about the therapeutic use of the plant, perhaps most notably the Diaz brothers, who sell CBD products under the Game Up Nutrition brand.
Nate Diaz stirred controversy in 2016 when he pulled out a CBD vape pen during a post-fight press conference.
More recently, MMA legend Frank Shamrock told The GrowthOp that he used Cannabis daily throughout his fighting career for recovery and relaxation.
Closer to home, UFC announced a research partnership with Edmonton-based Aurora Cannabis Inc. in 2019.
The idea is to study CBD and bring the Aurora sports brand's CBD product line.
Earlier this year, Toronto MMA fighter Elias Theodorou received a Therapeutic Use Exemption for medical marijuana from the BC Athletic Commission.
The action was a first for the sport.
Still, some state athletic commissions and regulatory boards governing combat sports have continued to push back against Cannabis.
Suspension
In May, UFC middleweight Journey Newson was stripped of a win by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
The athlete received a 30-day suspension for testing positive for THC.
Middleweight fighter Kelvin Gastelum tested positive for THC for the second time in 2019.
After a nine-month suspension from the US Anti-Doping Agency, the suspension was reduced to five months.
This came after completing a drug treatment program.
In February, heavyweight fighter Derrick Lewis raised eyebrows when interviewed in the octagon after a win.
The fight was very important, he told Joe Rogan, and "that's why 24/7, all week I was smoking marijuana".