If “UFC” doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve probably been living under a rock for the past few years. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is, in fact, the largest mixed martial arts organization in the world. It seems to be a very open-minded organization, as there are increasing reports that the UFC is open to various types of “drugs.” From now on, the use of THC and other cannabinoids will no longer be prohibited for their athletes.
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THC no longer banned
Starting January 1—with retroactive effect—a positive drug test for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, will no longer be considered a violation. Well, usually not. If USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, can prove that an athlete intentionally used it for performance-enhancing purposes, it could still cause problems, according to a press release. Jeff Novitzky, senior vice president of athlete health and performance, also confirms this. The organization has therefore removed THC from its list of banned substances.
“I can’t think of a single historical case where that evidence exists,” Novitzky said. “It would likely require visual signs, such as the athlete stumbling at an event, smelling of marijuana, bloodshot eyes—that sort of thing. And that is… something you rarely, if ever, see. I certainly haven’t in my six years with the UFC.” Even if USADA were to find such evidence, Novitzky said the athlete in question would likely be admitted to a treatment program rather than suspended.
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‘Who cares?!’
Novitzky said that the UFC and USADA wanted to implement the change because there is no scientific correlation between THC levels in urine or blood samples and actual impairment. The effects of THC last for hours, not days, Novitzky said. “Why the hell should we care what someone did a week earlier, let alone the night before, if it has no effect whatsoever on their ability to fight,” he continued. “Many fighters use marijuana instead of opioids or depressants like Xanax or Ambien.”
But it doesn’t stop there. In addition to THC, all other naturally occurring cannabinoids are also being removed from the organization’s doping list. Think, for example, of CBD products, which are used by millions of people worldwide. Furthermore, according to the Americans, there is no existing evidence that they could provide a significant performance advantage, laboratories do not test for these components, and, according to them, cannabinoids also have “no health and safety consequences for active UFC athletes.” In short: CBD is good to go!
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Microdosing psychedelics
And it doesn’t stop there. It also appears that UFC fighters may soon venture into psychedelics. Yes, really! No, they won’t be downing a handful of magic mushrooms before running into the octagon, but there’s a chance that fighters might one day microdose to combat certain ailments. Dana White, the organization’s president, wants to have psychedelics researched. “We’ve spoken with Johns Hopkins and are working on getting involved in that as well,” he said.
Dana White reportedly told the company to look into it. “Dana said, ‘Hey, figure out what this is all about,’” Novitzky said. “To see if it helps with traumatic brain injury, addiction, mental health issues. We want to be part of it, and we want to be the first,” said Novitzky. He also said that the UFC could sponsor a new study on psychedelics, with the possibility of recruiting current or former UFC fighters to participate. Go UFC!
