Los Angeles, Sep 12: Boxing legend Mike Tyson opened up about a painful chapter of his career during a recent episode of the Katie Miller Podcast, admitting that he used fentanyl in the late 1990s to manage injuries sustained as a heavyweight fighter.
Tyson revealed he used the powerful synthetic opioid, estimated to be 50 times stronger than heroin, to treat a toe injury. “It was a painkiller, and I used it to patch up my toe,” he said. He compared the effects and withdrawal symptoms to heroin: “Once it wears off and you take the Band-Aid off, you start withdrawing, throwing up, just like if you were on heroin.”
He admitted using fentanyl multiple times before realizing its potential risks to his career and noted that its presence in his bloodstream would have been illegal. Tyson recounted consulting a friend for safety advice, only to learn of its narcotic nature.
Fentanyl is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for medical use, but its illegal consumption has surged in recent years. According to the CDC, over 48,000 people died last year from synthetic opioid overdoses, largely due to fentanyl.
During the podcast, Tyson also discussed his advocacy for medical cannabis, questioning why it is treated as more dangerous than fentanyl by authorities. He criticized the DEA’s classification of cannabis as a Schedule I substance, while fentanyl is Schedule II, highlighting its recognized medical uses under supervision.
Tyson, a long-time supporter of cannabis, said he is on a mission to “give cannabis justice” and hopes to see it rescheduled and eventually federally legalized.