Florida Commission Plans To Loosen Regulations On Marijuana Before UFC Event
A Florida state commission will no long be cracking down on regulations when it comes to marijuana.
The news comes following a Titan FC show on March 15, 2019, when the flyweight champion Juan Puerta was pulled from the main event just minutes before he was set to walk out to defend his title due to a positive test for cannabis.
Because of the debacle, Titan had to cancel its headlining fight and Puerta was suspended by the Florida commission.
As a result, the Florida State Boxing Commission will relax its enforcement regarding cannabis consumption rules. Florida is essentially lining them up more with doping industry standards, UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky confirmed to MMA Fighting.
Prior to the change, the Florida commission had a zero-tolerance policy regarding cannabis. Any trace amount found in a fighter’s system could and usually did lead to sanctions.
Still Outlawed
Cannabinoids will still remain prohibited in-competition. But only if over 150 ng/ml, which is the threshold set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Novitzky said. That also includes tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but cannabidiol (CBD) will be allowed at all times.
Novitzky went on to say the policy change was decided on Wednesday night after discussions between UFC vice president of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner and Florida State Boxing Commission executive director Patrick Cunningham. Titan FC COO Lex McMahon said he is still waiting for the ‘B’ sample results, however, he does not hold any ill will towards the commission.
He just believes they got this one wrong.
“For Florida to take the position they did is very frustrating for me,” McMahon said last week, regarding the commission’s decision to pull Puerta. “I work with them, obviously, day in and day out. I think that they generally do a great job, I appreciate them. But I think they got this one wrong. I think it has a profound affect on a lot of different people. It’s truly unfortunate.”
