NSAC Agrees to Evaluate Removing Marijuana From Banned Substance List

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has agreed to an evaluation of whether to marijuana from its banned substance list. MMAjunkie reports that NSAC Executive Director Bob Bennett will head up the study, which will considert the benefits and drawbacks of taking the drug off the anti-doping violation list after Nevada recently legalized recreational marijuana.

NSAC Chairman Anthony Marnell said during today’s meeting that the legalization might have created the possibility for a challenge from fighters and put forth the idea that the commission should get ahead of any potential challenges. “We could leave the (regulation) where it is and say, you’re still allowed to do it, but 150 ng/mL is where we feel comfortable. All I want to do is be out in front of this and not behind. I didn’t want to be in a position where we have fighters before us, because it will come, that this is legal now, so this 150 ng/ml is no longer legal. You can see the controversy coming.”

The threshold was raised from 50 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL in 2013, which was considered better for prevention of in-competition use, but allowing out-of-competition use. Since then, Nick Diaz has had a notable incident and was hit with an eighteen-month suspension (originally five years) for his third marijuana violation.

USADA, who is the UFC’s anti-doping partner, currently follows WADA standard which means that marijuana is banned six hours before an event’s weigh-in and six hours after a fight.