Nevada Athletic Commission Raises Threshold to Declare Positive Drug Test Result for Marijuana

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has raised the positive threshold for marijuana metabolites.

The move puts the NSAC in line with the standards set by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which is the world standard for drug testing. WADA, effective May 11, 2013, increased the threshold for a positive test result for Carboxy-THC (marijuana metabolite) from 15 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL.

The previous threshold for Nevada had been 50 ng/mL, but the commission increased its threshold to 150 ng/mL, matching WADA. That’s a 300-percent increase in the threshold to determine a positive test result for marijuana metabolites.

“The rule was changed to ensure fighters were not penalized for using marijuana days or weeks prior to competing,” NSAC executive director Keith Kizer told Inside MMA. “Fighters will still not be permitted to be under the influence of marijuana during a fight.”

The increased limit is intended to still detect fighters that are under the influence of marijuana heading into a fight, but not penalize those that used marijuana well before fight time, similar to alcohol consumption.