Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) is objecting to President Clinton’s choice for U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, because he supports legal access to medical marijuana.
Helms, whose committee must approve all ambassadorial nominees, said that he did not feel Weld was “ambassador quality” and criticized his support for the use of marijuana as a medicine. Tolerance toward the use of medical marijuana could make Weld unsuitable to be an ambassador of a major drug producing and trafficking nation like Mexico, Helms stated.
Weld signed legislation last year reinvigorating a statewide program that would distribute marijuana to certified patients who suffer from serious illnesses like glaucoma and cancer. The bill also creates an “affirmative defense” of medical necessity for some patients who use medical marijuana. Earlier this year, Weld publicly stated that he has “no problem” with the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Clinton said that he plans to nominate Weld for the position despite Helms objections.
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre of The NORML Foundation at (202) 483-8751 or NORML Mass/Cann at (617) 944-2266.