Marijuana and MMA: A Big Problem?
By Brandt DeLorenzo on Apr 07, 2008
For those of you who remember the poll that I put on the site a couple weeks back, this post might not be a big surprise. I had asked readers if they thought the State Athletic Commissions should allow fighters to use marijuana if the drug was legalized in the state they were fighting. Out of 24 responses, 17 of you said that fighters should be allowed to be under the influence of THC, the common chemical compound found in the drug. Only seven readers though that marijuana should still be banned even if it is legal in the state where the event is being held.
I’m sure you may already know this – the facts of drug use in MMA are still alarming. You may not know, however, that the California State Athletic Commission has suspended fighters for marijuana use almost 200% more than performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids. Even with all of the associated health risks with bringing smoke into human lungs, why are so many fighters smoking marijuana?
Is it for medical reasons? The Diaz brothers, made up of Nick, a welterweight, and Nate, a lightweight, are well known to be using marijuana between their professional MMA fights. Nick Diaz has made claims to be smoking the drug for medical reasons to help deal with attention-deficit-disorder or ADD. Using Ritalin is not an option for a naturalist like him, says trainer Ceasar Gracie. Diaz was slated to fight on the Strikeforce Shamrock vs. Le card against Jae Suk Lim in California, but had to pull out because the CSAC refused to let him test clean after he admitted using the drug.
So why can’t Diaz use the drug between fights without dealing with the ramifications from the athletic commissions? He’s theoretically allowed to use Ritalin if he wanted to, but he doesn’t want other unnatural drugs to enter his body. Is he being punished with the athletic commissions stepping past their bounds? Or should he cease from using marijuana if he wants to continue as a MMA fighter because of the legal repurcussions?
Apparently 70% of MMA Opinion readers think that marijuana isn’t so bad for fighters if the government says so. But should we wait for the legal system or should we start allowing natural drugs that aren’t created on a lab table in the sport of MMA? We allow lab-made supplements and some of those have supposedly gotten some fighters, like Sean Sherk, in trouble due to unstandardized testing with the different athletic commissions. So, aside from the cancer risks which have nothing to do with MMA, why not allow marijuana?
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Great report; I was waiting for someone to write one of these (and thank god for FightOpinion.com for the link
-) because lord knows I am too lazy to do it myself!
“But should we wait for the legal system or should we start allowing natural drugs that aren’t created on a lab table in the sport of MMA?” – Considering our historically conservative government’s lack of research on cannabis, a green plant, straight from the earth, I can not help but feel bad for the athletic commissions for simply “following orders.” However, Diaz has a subscription, as do I, to use cannabis for medical reasons and that is a state-sanctioned law that should be upheld by the big scary corporation that promotes his fights. I understand that they do not want heat for allowing a “stoner” to fight under their auspices (CSAC) but being that he is legal they should make some special pardon, instead of disappointing fans, a star South Korean fighter, and Diaz, the promoters, and their family and friends!!!
>> why are so many fighters smoking marijuana?
It’s not “so many fighters” but so many PEOPLE who are smoking marijuana, all over the world, of both genders, or all ages and all ethnic groups. And the category of “people” also includes – surprise! – athletes and MMA fighters.
klown: Good point, but many MMA fighters abstain from drinking, eating junk food, or smoking because of the negative health effects. Shouldn’t these fighters realize the importance of keeping their lungs free of smoke if they want to be in great shape to fight in organizations like the UFC?
the truth is, if you’re interested in it, that there is nothing to suggest that even smoking marijuana will harm your body at all.
there is however scientific evidence that shows that yes, smoking marijuana – let alone vaporising it – does benefit your health. the reality is that the healing power of this plant has been shown to be incredible. did you know that for instance THC directly injected into brain tumors in lab rats completely eradicated the tumors?
it is also the best lung expectorant and bronchial dilator known to man. so in fact if anything it should be banned on the basis of being performance enhancing as it is scientifically proven to improve your stamina and endurance while high.
so really it shouldn’t be banned for use by anyone, anywhere, for any reason. in fact, it should be used by everyone, everywhere for any reason. everyday.
occmsrazr if it is such a positive thing why is it illegal?
occmsrazr: You’re a funny guy. I’ll stick with the years of proof that says inhaling smoke increases your chance of lung cancer. If you want to inject THC directly, go for it!
Sorry for bumping this if this does get bumped, but if you guys really think that marijuana is hazardous to your health you need to do some research. there is no proof that marijuana is hazardous to your health and if you believe it causes cancer or anything like that you need to do some research right now. there are no “years of proof”(legit proof, anyway. there’s a lot of propaganda behind marijuana) that says marijuana increases lung cancer. that’s completely ridiculous. i suggest all the disbelievers to read “the emperor wears no clothes”, that will explain it all to you. the main reason marijuana is illegal is because it has so many positive uses(like reversing global warming) that it would put huge industrial companies out of business. a lot of people would lose a lot of money if it was legal.
LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. IT SHOULD BE LEGAL IN THE FIGHT WORLD.
I’m not against legalizing the drug, but I have yet to meet a non-smoker who wanted the drug legalized. Of course you want it legalized – it’ll be cheaper and easier for you to get it. I want bank robberies to be legal too…I hate working!
Inhaling any kind of smoke for extended periods of time is bad for you. I think we can both agree on that, right?
As far as global warning, I have no idea what you are talking about. How will a plant stop pollutants from entering the air?
I actually have all the marijuana that I need. I don’t need it to be cheaper or anything of the sort. It needs to be legal, though. For the most part, it does make sense that you’ve never met a non-smoker who thinks it should be legal because they do not care for marijuana and do no research it at all. Most of them are misinformed.
Yes, you are right that inhaling any kind of smoke for extended periods of time is bad for you, but in the case of marijuana there have been no deaths, no cancer, no lung damage or anything like that caused by marijuana. 0 deaths. 0 cancer cases.
global warming: http://jackherer.com/
jack herer is the author of “the emperor wears no clothes”. also, if you can prove anything in his book wrong, you get $100,000. that offer has been up since he wrote the book.
“If all fossil fuels and their derivatives, as well as trees for paper and construction, were banned in order to save the planet, reverse the Greenhouse Effect and stop deforestation;
then there is only one known annually renewable natural resource that is capable of providing the overall majority of the world’s paper and textiles; meet all of the world’s transportation, industrial and home energy needs, while simultaneously reducing pollution, rebuilding the soil and cleaning the atmosphere all at the same time…
and that substance is the same one that has done it before . . .
CANNABIS HEMP!”
I’m fairly certain that this quote is in his book.
Brandt, I don’t smoke, but I want it legalized.
As a libertarian, I tend to think that the notion that the government has a right to restrict what I put in my body is un-Constitutional.
Whether or not I intend to do it myself, whether I believe it will help me with performance (which I don’t), is irrelevant. If becomes a matter of principle.
Jack Herer doesn’t understand that it’s not a matter of energy principle. Hemp is not a realistic economic alternative, as it’s not as easy to produce.
The economic argument in favor of legalization is a matter of taxation and regulation, not a matter of reduction of polution. Herer’s argument is one that’s a fringe issue, and in irrelevant one.
Who cares?! Haven’t we got bigger problems in MMA? Like no real competition in the sport and fighters having to suck Dana’s cock like little jail homo’s just to justify their appearance in the cage? What about those obnoxious payroll discrepancies of Chuck “Lights Out” Liddell and fighters who kick his ass like Keith Jardine and Rashad Evans? I mean, c’mon, are we really so concerned about marijuana being on top of the list for most topical MMA issues?!
Thats bullshit
Pot is not a preformance enhancing drug. Its just gonna make fighting harder kuz if u smoke shit it screws up ur lungs. So if they wanna do it. No big deal. Its not gunna make them better
Ryan,
It is a big deal! It is illegal! Diaz has a choice. He is a pro athlete. If he continuous to ignore the athletic association’s rules then he should continue to be suspended!