The president of Malawi defended the decision to appoint Mike Tyson as the country’s cannabis ambassador as he said that the convicted rapist has a “high reputation.”
Per FoxNews, a statement from President Peter Mutharika’s office said that Tyson will help to promote Malawi’s medical and farming initiatives as well as its aspiration to legalize cannabis.
“As Malawi seeks to rebrand and re-launch our country, [Tyson] has been brought in to help boost tourism, agriculture and ensure that we fulfil our various national development plans,” the statement said.
Tyson, 46, admitted in a 2008 interview with ESPN that he used cocaine after he was convicted of rape in 1992. He’s since been a strong advocate of substance abuse treatment.
“I’m now pro-addiction. I’m pro-dealing,” Tyson told Sports Illustrated in 2004. “I’m open to seeing what they can do with it.”
The statement from Malawi’s president also included a quote from promoter, Tyson’s wife Lakiha Terry.
“As a patriotic Malawian and a passionate advocate for the promotion of Malawi as a destination to invest in, I am honored to be a part of this project with the people of Malawi, who are determined to support policies that encourage the cultivation of plant-based drugs,” the statement quoted Terry as saying.
“As a former boxing champion, Mike Tyson has developed a high reputation in the world of business and business ethics,” it added.
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