In a recent interview with Newsmax, legendary boxer Mike Tyson opened up about his ongoing crusade for cannabis reform.
Tyson is a member of the Coalition of Athletes and Entertainers Supporting President Trump's Policy Objectives, a group that has reportedly penned a letter to President Donald Trump, advocating for the reclassification of cannabis as a Schedule III narcotic and the relaxation of banking regulations for licensed cannabis businesses.
According to Newsmax, the letter, which was also endorsed by NBA All-Star Kevin Durant, online streamer and Trump supporter Adin Ross, and musicians Wyclef Jean, Lil Pump, and Ralo, highlighted the clemency actions taken by Trump during his first term, including the pardoning of Weldon Angelos for a cannabis-related conviction. The coalition also criticized President Joe Biden for his failure "to deliver on his pledge to address marijuana-related injustices."
"People go to consume anyway, so why not consume safely, right?" Tyson posed to "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." He drew parallels with the prohibition era, stating, "During prohibition, people drank, and a lot of people died and got sick. And so, they made it safe, and then they made it legal. And we ask them to do the same thing with cannabis."
The National Institutes for Health classifies Schedule I narcotics, which include heroin, LSD, and the hypnotic sedative methaqualone, as substances with "high abuse potential with no accepted medical use" that cannot be prescribed, dispensed, or administered. Tyson pointed out that even drugs such as cocaine are not classified as Schedule I; cocaine falls under Schedule II, along with fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and others that have "high abuse potential with severe psychological or physical dependence" but have an accepted medical use and can be prescribed, dispensed, or administered.
Tyson argued, "You know, cocaine is Level 2, and come on, [cannabis] can't be more dangerous than cocaine. Give me a break. If you were doing a show right now, who would you rather speak to a pot consumer like me or some full-blown alcoholic."
The coalition's letter contended that the classification of cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic "is scientifically outdated, economically detrimental, and at odds with modern medical understanding." The group suggested that a Section III designation would "harmonize federal law with state policies, promote innovation, encourage research, and drive economic growth."
"We have to make it safer," Tyson asserted. "We have to make clean cannabis. We have to have laws and make sure any cannabis that being purchased has to come from legal cannabis dispensaries. None of these black-market guys that are killing us, making us sick out here in the street. The time for those guys are over. They need to deal with the full extent of the law."
The Cannabis Times reports that marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in 24 states and the District of Columbia, and a total of 39 states have legalized it for medical use. Tyson, who admits to smoking marijuana "all day, every day," said it has had a profound impact on his life.
"When I first started boxing, you couldn't smoke cannabis," Tyson recalled. "It was banned. And you saw how my life was then, right? Since I've been using cannabis on a regular basis, you see how my life is now. You know, you can just look at the two and you can tell which is the better person. The guy who drank alcohol every day of his life while he was being this great boxer, or the guy who's right now a retired boxer, businessman, and he's enjoying his life without any chaos."
Tyson's advocacy for cannabis reform, along with the coalition's efforts, highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the legal status of cannabis in the United States.
As the nation grapples with the implications of cannabis legalization, the voices of prominent figures like Tyson continue to shape the conversation, emphasizing the need for safety, regulation, and the reconsideration of outdated laws.
Login