Despite the UFC, USADA, and the Nevada State Athletic Commission no longer take punitive actions for marijuana, the promotion is warning fighters ahead of their UFC 265 event in Texas.
The pay-per-view event will be headlined by Derrick Lewis taking on Ciryl Gane in an interim heavyweight title fight. According to a report by MMA Junkie, the readings indicate that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is firm in its zero-tolerance rule towards marijuana and its consumption.
Even though it was previously reported that the UFC, NSAC, and USADA no longer punish for marijuana it will not matter in Texas therefore the company issued a warning to fighters ahead of the big UFC 265 PPV.
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In the subsequent memo, the UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Donna Marcolini clarified the differences in the ruleset in Texas compared to other states where athletes have competed lately. In particular, the memo addressed the reasoning behind their potential punitive actions.
“Due to Texas’s LOW THRESHOLD RULE FOR MARIJUANA, and the clearance time of marijuana (THC) from the body, we are advising any UFC athlete participating at UFC 265 Houston who uses marijuana, to DISCONTINUE THE USE OF MARIJUANA MUCH SOONER THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD TO ADHERE TO THE LOW THRESHOLD STANDARD,” Marcolini wrote. “The same advice applies to CBD products, as all cannabinoids have a 50 ng/ml threshold under Texas rules, including CBD. This is also different from the UFC/USADA program, where CBD is allowed at all times, in any amount.” Donna Marcolini said in a press release.
According to Marcolini, any athlete to test above the low threshold for marijuana at UFC 267 will receive a 90-day suspension as well as a $500 fine. This memo comes after USADA announced permanent changes to their marijuana policy.
What do you make of the strict marijuana policies in Texas?
