In the most recent news to UFC doping policy, they have made some changes which many will support. As we saw from the interviews with some veterans of the NBA when asked what they thought about being a professional athlete and smoking cannabis.
Cannabis and recovery
The green has always aided players, before and after games. But not in a way to gain an advantage over your opponents. Studies have been carried out that say cannabinoids do not enhance performance. But they do one the other hand aid recovery and repair of the body, as the endocannabinoid system is activated to do a better job.
The lift on the ban would include all cannabinoids including CBD, which can be beneficial to repair torn muscles and generally aid recovery.
Jeff Novitzky is the current Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance for the UFC. He previously served as an agent for the Food and Drug Administration, investigating the use of steroids in professional sports so he is well equipped to make a statement on the topic:
What does UFC say
“While we want to continue to prevent athletes from competing under the effects of marijuana, we know that levels of carboxy-THC in urine vary greatly, after off-competition use, and there is not a sufficient scientific correlation about the dysfunction it generates in a competition. ” “THC is fat-soluble, therefore, once ingested, it is stored in the fatty tissues and organs of the body and can be released back into the circulation, and -consequently- it occurs in the urine, often long after it has been consumed. . Therefore, it is not a clear indicator of competitive dysfunction ”.
Novitzky added: “In short, with respect to marijuana, we are concerned with what an athlete consumed on the day of the fight, not the days or weeks before the fight,
which has been the question in our historical positive cases of THC. UFC athletes will still be subject to the marijuana rules stipulated in various Sports Commission regulations, but we hope this marks the beginning of a broader discussion and sparks changes on the issue with that group. “
Hunter Campbell, UFC Business Director added: “This is the third change we have made to the Anti-Doping Policy since its launch in July 2015. It is another example that it is an organic document that will continue to evolve and adapt to the progress when science shows that changes are necessary to continue protecting athletes competing in the Octagon. “
