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EXCLUSIVE: A coalition of sports stars and artists sent a letter to the White House urging President Donald Trump to adopt a cannabis reform.
The group is titled by the legend of boxing Mike Tyson, the superstar of the NBA, Kevin Durant, the former NBA star Allen Iverson, the former boxer Roy Jones Jr., the former star of the Cowboys of Dallas, Dez Bryant, the former star of the NFL Antonio Brown, and the former player of the NFL and the Avocate of Cannabis, Ricky Williams.
Williams’ name appears twice on the list of signatories.
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Kevin During a Basketball match in the NBA. (AP photo / Marcio Jose Sanchez,)
The group itself stimulates the “coalition of athletes and artists supporting the political objectives of President Trump”.
The letter highlights three main points in their proposed reform: the leniency for “non -violent” infractions of Marijuana, support for the re -engagement of marijuana and at the end of “discriminatory banking practices”.
The first point of the letter underlines the previous forgiveness of Trump’s music producer, Weldon Angelos, who was sentenced to 55 years in prison in November 2004 for marijuana accusations. Angelos was released in 2016, then forgiven by Trump in December 2020. The letter also criticized former President Joe Biden for a lack of action on the fight against the incarcerations linked to marijuana.
“Today, people continue to serve long federal penalties to Direct which are now legal in most states – which makes their continuous incarceration not only cruel but absurd. After having made radical promises to voters in 2020, the former president Biden failed to make his promises to cope with marijuana. While waiting for the request for Clémence linked to marijuana, “said the letter.
“This betrayal only underlines the urgent need of daring leadership, we believe, and represents an opportunity to correct the blatant disparities in the context of the continuous pressure of your administration for the reform of criminal justice.”
The ex-nfler says he would be in trouble “If cannabis was still largely illegal, happy that the players of today can use it
The second point of the letter urges Trump to reclassify the medication of a substance from Annex I to an appendix III. The difference in respective hours, which are determined by the Medicines Agency (DEA), determines how drugs are considered in terms of abuse potential in relation to medical demand.
Appendix I substances have high abuse potential and have no medical use accepted in the United States, they also have high potential for psychological and / or severe physical dependence.
The substances of Annex III have a moderate potential for low physical and psychological dependence on drugs I and II of Annex I and II, and they accepted medical use in the United States.
“The current classification of marijuana as a substance in Annex I is scientifically exceeded, economically harmful and in contradiction with modern medical understanding,” said the letter. “The reassessment of marijuana would harmonize federal law with state policies, would promote innovation, encourage research and stimulate economic growth.”
The last point of the letter competing for “discriminatory banking practices” underlines that Trump opposed a previous American initiative entitled “Operation Choke Point”, which investigated the banks and the company they made with firearm dealers, wage lenders and other companies which, while operating legally, would have been raised to a high risk of fraud and laundry.
The group argued that marijuana companies have also been assigned by this initiative and other banking practices.
“State legal cannabis operators, many of which have also been unfairly denied to banking services despite compliance with the law of the state,” said the letter. “Despite the legally functioning in 40 states, employing more than 450,000 Americans and generating more than $ 35 billion per year, these companies are faced with unjust obstacles to banking services, and their employees find it difficult to obtain mortgages from traditional lenders.
Marijuana factories are seen in an increasing establishment in the county of Washington, New York, on May 12, 2023. (AP photo / Hans Pennink, file)
“In addition, cannabis companies cannot take standard commercial deductions, which leads to effective tax rates above 85%. Although foreign cannabis companies benefit from lists on American exchanges, such as NYSE and NASDAQ, American cannabis operators are unjustly excluded.
The other figures listed on the letter to the White House include the former NBA players Steven Jackson, Chris Webber, Jr Smith, John Salley and Al Harrington, the former NFL players Jim McMahon, Kyle Turley, Champ Bailey, Marvin Washington and Tony Richardson and the old Boyd Melson, Keith Thurmon.
Entertainment figures on the letter are the streamer Adin Ross, rappers Lil Pump and Ralo and the musician Wyclef.
