Mike Tyson Tells Trump To Reschedule Marijuana And Free Prisoners In Fox News Appearance

OG Article  By Kyle Jaeger 

July 01, 2025

Retired boxer Mike Tyson has conveyed his message to reclassify, and ultimately legalize, cannabis to President Donald Trump on one of the most widely viewed television networks: Fox News.

Just days after spearheading a letter, alongside other professional athletes and public figures, advocating for cannabis reform—a letter dispatched to Trump on Friday—Tyson appeared on FOX & Friends on Monday. During his appearance, he presented arguments for reclassifying cannabis, broadening clemency, and enabling licensed cannabis enterprises to access traditional banking services.

"Cannabis is placed in the same category as heroin. How can you categorize it alongside heroin?" he questioned. "Anyone who has ever consumed cannabis understands there's no comparison; it's simply illogical."

Tyson reiterated his endorsement for shifting cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)—a reform initiated during the Biden administration but which has since faced delays at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He also emphasized the significant economic potential that altering federal cannabis laws presents for state-licensed businesses.

"There are over 500,000 individuals who cannot secure loans in the cannabis sector alone, and that is just preposterous," stated Tyson, who is the proprietor of the cannabis company Tyson 2.0. "It represents such a substantial revenue source for the nation. I simply cannot comprehend why it's being held back. It's absurd."

He added that proponents are "also advocating for clemency, because there are still people incarcerated—some for 15 years, serving incredibly long and unjust sentences—for cannabis-related offenses."

Tyson further contended that "the primary error we are making is labeling [cannabis] as a drug. It is not a drug. It is a medicine." He cited his personal journey with cannabis as evidence, noting that he was "struggling immensely" as a young adult before he began using cannabis for its therapeutic advantages.

When questioned about whether he believes the plant should be fully legalized across the country, Tyson unequivocally responded, "100 percent yes," largely because "the time and the penalties" that individuals criminalized over cannabis have received are "just utterly indefensible."

The renowned boxer cited Weldon Angelos, a criminal justice reform advocate and former federal cannabis prisoner, as a prime example. Angelos played a role in organizing the letter to Trump, who pardoned him for a cannabis-related offense during his initial term in office.

Tyson, accompanied by Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba, recently conducted a tour of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratory. During his Fox News interview, he echoed insights from that tour, asserting that illicit operators from China and Mexico are "contaminating our cannabis with fentanyl and pesticides and all of those harmful substances, and it is truly causing fatalities."

Throughout the discussion, Tyson underscored his conviction that "cannabis is not a drug."

"No one has ever [overdosed from] cannabis," he remarked. "People drink. How many individuals perish from drinking? You place a group of people who dislike each other in a room and provide them with alcohol, and they may harm each other. You provide them with some cannabis, and they start taking selfies or engaging in similar benign activities."

The interview occurred approximately one week after Trump's initial selection for attorney general in the current administration, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), reiterated his own support for reclassifying cannabis. Gaetz suggested in an interview with a Florida Republican lawmaker that the GOP could attract more of the youth vote by embracing cannabis reform.

Regarding cannabis rescheduling, the president did endorse this policy alteration during his campaign. However, he has maintained public silence on the matter since assuming office. Gaetz commented last month that Trump's endorsement of a Schedule III reclassification was "essentially an attempt to solidify support among young voters" rather than a genuine reflection of his personal convictions about cannabis.

A survey carried out by a GOP pollster affiliated with Trump, released in April, indicated that "a majority of Republicans support a range of cannabis reforms, including reclassification." Notably, they exhibit even greater support for allowing states to legalize cannabis without federal interference compared to the average voter.

Meanwhile, Trump selected former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) to lead the Department of Justice, and the Senate confirmed this appointment. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi "declined to specify how she intended to navigate key cannabis policy issues." Furthermore, as state attorney general, she had opposed initiatives to legalize medical cannabis.

Adding to the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the rescheduling proposal, Trump's nominee to lead the DEA, Terrance Cole, has "previously articulated concerns about the dangers of cannabis" and connected its use to a heightened risk of suicide among young people.

During an in-person hearing before the Judiciary Committee in April, Cole stated that "examining the rescheduling proposal will be 'one of my first priorities'" if he were confirmed for the role, remarking that it's "time to move forward" on the stalled process—yet again without clarifying his desired outcome.

The DEA recently "informed an agency judge that the proceedings remain on hold"—with no future actions currently scheduled. The matter had been stagnant under an acting administrator, Derek Maltz, who has "labeled cannabis a 'gateway drug'" and linked its use to psychosis. Maltz has since departed the position.

Amidst the stalled cannabis rescheduling process that has carried over from the previous presidential administration, congressional researchers recently reiterated that "lawmakers could enact the reform themselves with 'greater speed and flexibility'" if they chose to, potentially circumventing judicial challenges.