Former President of Mexico Vicente Fox, a longtime champion of cannabis legalization, has joined the board of High Times. Fox’s addition to the High Times board brings a prominent global leader to the company at a time when acceptance of cannabis is rapidly growing worldwide—with countries such as Uruguay and Canada having fully legalized marijuana use and the U.S. following suit, state by state.
“At a time when nearly two-thirds of the United States have legalized some form of cannabis, and the U.S. Congress is considering giving all states control over legalization decisions, this is the right time to invest in the business of cannabis,” said Fox.
High Times CEO Adam Levin says Fox is an invaluable addition to the board: “Vicente Fox brings international relationships and decades of experience in business, politics, and policy to the company.”
A Powerful Ally for Marijuana Legalization
Fox served as president of Mexico from 2000 to 2006. A longtime proponent of a commonsense approach to legal marijuana, he believes that now is the time to invest in the business of cannabis. “The ‘Green Rush,’ as it’s been called, will be one of the largest wealth creators of our generation. And as we move out of the shadows, real businesses in this sector will prosper in a way most industries only dream of,” said Fox.
When asked what he hopes to achieve at High Times by the Associated Press, Fox declared, “Well, I am a soldier, in the sense of being an activist, working for this new future, working to break the paradigm. In short, joining together those who believe in this future.”
NAFTA and Cannabis
Fox told the Associated Press he foresees a day when a legal marijuana marketplace will create new jobs while reducing cartel violence in Mexico. He sees the War on Drugs as a massive failure and believes that it’s time to legalize cannabis to curtail criminal activity. Drug violence has been cited as a factor in tens of thousands of killings in Mexico.
Fox maintains that making cannabis fully legal will put a stranglehold on drug cartels by cutting their profits and reducing their ability to purchase weapons. Mexico has legalized medicinal marijuana, but Fox says regulations are needed to put the change into effect.
He says legal cannabis should ultimately form a part of the North American Free Trade Agreement: “It’s another product that can enhance our private sector, corporations, farmers, retailers … so it should happen. We should promote it.”
Pot Policy Needs to Change
U.S. marijuana policy needs to change at the federal level, Fox says. He believes members of Congress should visit states with legal cannabis and take note of the successes of a growing new industry and tax revenue.
With legalization spreading in the U.S., and Canada on track to legalize cannabis this year, Fox is eager to see Mexico follow suit. “We have to come up to where the United States is,” he said. “This is happening in several key states throughout the union, and also like other world nations are doing, like Holland, like Portugal, Uruguay, so Mexico has to be updated on this public policy.”
