Mike Tyson urges Trump to reclassify cannabis

During a media appearance on Fox News, the boxing legend and now cannabis entrepreneur Mike Tyson has once again stepped into the ring, this time as part of the fight for the cannabis legislation reform.

Speaking on the FOX & Friends, Tyson sent a clear message to Donald Trump it's time to reclassifying cannabis, to grant a clemency for ex-offenders and enable legal cannabis businesses access to the U.S. banking system.

A direct appeal to Trump on national television

Tyson's television appearance follows a letter he co-signed with other athletes such as Kevin Durant and other celebrities urging Trump to support comprehensive reform cannabis policy.

«Cannabis is in the same category as heroin. How can it be in the same category as heroin?» said Tyson on the show, pointing out the absurdity of keeping it in Category I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The call for reclassify cannabis from category I to category III, a change that would recognize its medical value and significantly reduce federal restrictions, was initiated by the Biden administration, but has since blocked by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Economic opportunities and the banking divide

Tyson, who now owns the cannabis brand Tyson 2.0, reminded us of the economic stakes of current federal policy.

«Over 500,000 people can't get loans in the cannabis sector, and that's just ridiculous,» he told the Fox News hosts. «It's a huge source of revenue for the country. And I just don't understand it. It's ridiculous.»

Since cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, many state-licensed cannabis businesses are excluded from traditional banking services, This forces them to operate in conditions where cash is king, and is often dangerous.

Clemency for cannabis prisoners

Beyond economic concerns, Tyson's speech highlighted the human cost of prohibition.

«There are people who are still in prison, for 15 years, sentenced to huge, ridiculous sentences, for cannabis,» he said.

One name in particular was mentioned during the discussion: Weldon Angelos, a criminal justice reform advocate and former federal prisoner for cannabis possession. Angelos has been pardoned by Trump during his first term and is now one of the leading figures in the clemency movement. He helped organize the letter signed by Tyson and others.

This growing coalition of athletes, activists and ex-prisoners to reduce or abolish sentences of people still incarcerated for non-violent cannabis offences, many of whom remain behind bars despite the rise of the legal cannabis markets across the country.

«Cannabis is not a drug. It's a medicine.»

Tyson's personal connection to medical marijuana gave added weight to his public commitment. «The first mistake we make is classifying [cannabis] as a drug. It's not a drug. It's a medicine,» he declared.

Reflecting on his own life, Tyson said cannabis had helped him to stabilize mental health during turbulent periods.

«I was going crazy,» he said, describing his younger self before discovering cannabis. His testimony is part of a wider initiative to shift public discourse from criminalization to health and wellness.

During his interview on Fox, Tyson also expressed his concerns about the dangers posed by the unregulated cannabis market. Citing a recent visit by a DEA laboratory with the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, Alina Habba, he warned that the illicit cannabis from countries such as China and the Mexico could be contaminated with fentanyl [editor's note: it's an urban legend] and pesticides.

« It simply kills human beings », said Tyson, contrasting these dangers with the safety of regulated products sold in legal dispensaries. The boxer's point of view is in line with that of experts who claim that legalization and regulation are essential tools in the fight against the risks associated with the underground market.

Tyson also criticized society's hypocrisy in its treatment of cannabis compared to other substances.

«No one has ever died from a cannabis overdose,» he said. «People drink. How many people die from drinking? Put a group of people in a room who don't like each other, give them alcohol and they'll kill each other. Give them cannabis and they'll start taking selfies or something.»

Trump's position and the possible direction of the Republican Party

Tyson's call to Donald Trump comes at a time when the Republican Party seems divided on the issue. While Trump has come out in favor of the reclassification of cannabis in category III during his campaign, he has remained silent on the subject since taking office. His critics have suggested that his support was more strategic than sincere.

One of his allies, former Attorney General candidate and current Congressman Matt Gaetz, recently reiterated his support for reclassification. In an interview with a Florida Republican legislator, Gaetz argued that adopting a cannabis reform could help the Republican Party attract more young voters, a demographic increasingly in favor of legalization.

«Yes, at 100 %,» Tyson replied when asked if cannabis should be legalized nationwide. «The amount of time and punishment people have received for using cannabis is just ridiculous.»