Account
Nevada State Athletic Commission Will Stop Disciplining Fighters for Marijuana Use
July 7, 2021
The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted Wednesday to stop disciplining competitors' marijuana use.
"We should always be at the forefront of these issues," NSAC chairman Stephen J. Cloobeck said, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "I believe it's warranted and merited since it is legal in this state. ... I think we need to jump forward, being the leader as we've always been."
The NSAC will continue testing for cannabis for the next six months before determining whether the practice will continue. Any fighter who tests positive will not be punished.
This is a seismic change for the NSAC, which has long banned the use of marijuana. UFC's Gillian Robertson and Misha Cirkunov were each suspended Wednesday for positive tests that took place in March.
UFC does not punish fighters for marijuana use unless they are deemed to be visibly under the influence during a fight. The promotion altered its rules in January.
Cloobeck said he hoped other organizations, like the International Olympic Committee, would consider making similar changes.
American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson will not compete at the 2021 Tokyo Games after testing positive for marijuana at the Olympic trials in June. Richardson admitted to using marijuana to deal with stress after the death of her biological mother. She had been considered a favorite to win gold in the 100-meter event.
