Nick Diaz is one of the most polarizing figures in all of MMA. Whether you love him or hate him, there is no question that he draws an emotional response out of any audience. Not only is he cocky enough to fight with his hands at his waist while taunting his opponent, but he has the skills to make them regret trying to make him pay for his arrogance. His fight style is reminiscent of a shark: aggressive, dangerous and he couldn’t move backwards if he tried. His fans praise him and his detractors can’t wait to see him get pummeled.
Due to a flawed system, Nick Diaz will not get to compete in the UFC again for what is anticipated to be at least one year. Fight fans were foaming at the mouth over the highly anticipated rematch between Nick Diaz and interim champion Carlos Condit. The contentious decision of their first bout would be rendered moot, as the two warriors would battle once again in order to prove themselves as the better fighter. But now, due to Nick’s failed drug test for marijuana metabolites, it won’t happen.
You can blame Nick Diaz for failing his test. He openly admits to smoking marijuana as a part of his lifestyle. He was aware that he would be drug tested before and after his fight. After all, his spectacular submission victory over Takanori Gomi was changed to a No Contest after Nick tested positive for marijuana back in 2007.
However, a fact that is commonly overlooked is that Nick Diaz has a license for medical marijuana. I’m going to state that again with a little more emphasis. Nick Diaz has a license for medical marijuana. No matter how you feel about marijuana dispensaries, Diaz has a prescription from a medical professional that allows him to legally smoke marijuana in his home state. On any public record, it is a medical treatment for whatever undisclosed condition he may have.
Similar to marijuana, testosterone is a drug which is illegal to possess or use without a prescription from a medical professional. It is used to aid medical conditions such as hypogonadism. Testosterone replacement therapy aids a fighter by boosting their testosterone levels above what his body naturally produces. As long as your testosterone level is within a clearly defined range the day before your fight, TRT is completely legal under current drug testing rules and regulations. It allows a fighter to train harder, recover faster and be stronger than he would otherwise be. Fighters like current light heavyweight title contender Dan Henderson and middleweight title contender Chael Sonnen both used TRT in their training regimens. Another TRT user is Todd Duffee, a young heavyweight with a physique that rivals Superman.
Major UFC stars like BJ Penn and Michael Bisping have openly spoken about the unfair advantages that TRT brings to the table. Penn has gone on record to point out that his testosterone levels are fine; however, he has been offered TRT multiple times in the past. The latter has gone as far as to brand TRT users as “f****** cheats”.
With TRT having such an effect on performance in the octagon, it seems unfair that marijuana, a drug devoid of performance enhancing benefits, wouldn’t be allowed with a legitimate prescription. Because an argument can be made for marijuana as a tool for pain management, fighters wouldn’t be allowed to show up to a fight with levels above a predetermined level.
Clearly, Nick Diaz wasn’t trying to cheat anyone, nor conceal his use of marijuana. Diaz’s manager Caesar Gracie speaks on the matter: “Everyone knows he smokes marijuana medicinally in California. He has a legal right to do it in this state.” “He was surprised he tested positive,” Gracie said. “He does the same ritual every fight for the last five years. He stops it in time and he cleanses his system, works out like crazy, drinks a lot of water and purges his system of it.”
Let’s see some consistency in our system. If a much more effective TRT program is allowed to treat a medical condition, medical marijuana users should be afforded the same rights.
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