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Nate Diaz's UFC 202 Post-Fight Vaping Triggers USADA Investigation

The Seeds and Stems of Nevada Commission Potentially Lifting Marijuana Ban

Nate Diaz turned heads at his UFC 202 post-fight press conference as much for vaping during it, as he did for his comments about fighting Conor McGregor. His public CBD vaping so soon after the fight has triggered a Untied States Anti-Doping Agency investigation.

“I can confirm that USADA is aware of the situation and is currently gathering information in order to determine the appropriate next steps,” USADA spokesperson Ryan Madden told ESPN on Monday.

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During his post-fight press conference, Diaz was toking on his vape pen, and when asked what he was vaping, he responded, “CBD oil. It helps with the healing process and inflammation, stuff like that.”

Although many CBD oils have little to no THC in them, the substance that is largely responsible for marijuana's psychotropic effects, they are still classified as cannabinoids, which are banned substances during in-competition time periods for athletes under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.

Diaz had already been drug tested prior to his press conference, but the in-competition window was still wide open. Although the World Anti-Doping Agency standard for in-competition is 12 hours before a competition and lasts through the completion of the competition and the collection period for a drug testing sample, the UFC Anti-Doping Policy defines in-competition as six hours before and six hours after the competition.

So even though Diaz had already been tested prior to vaping, he was within the in-competition window of the code that USADA administers, and could possibly face sanctions for admittedly using a banned substance during the in-competion window, whether or not he tests positive to cannabinoids in his UFC 202 post-fight drug test.

Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for further details as the story develops.

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