Canadian marijuana giant Aurora Cannabis is sponsoring CBD research with the UFC to determine if the cannabinoid treatments are effective in treating pain and inflammation.
The partnership marks a milestone for the cannabis industry, where individual athletes commonly strike sponsorship deals but few prominent leagues agree to research for CBD or other cannabis products.
Athletes’ use of hemp products took off in 2018, when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed hemp-based products from a list of banned substances.
The Las Vegas-based UFC said it plans “multiple studies” in which its mixed martial arts fighters will use Aurora-produced CBD.
Terms of the partnership were not announced, though Edmonton, Alberta-based Aurora said any products resulting from the research would be designated the “Official CBD product of UFC.”
Aurora Cannabis trades on the New York Stock Exchange as ACB.
