2 GOP House members express reservations about Weld on issue of marijuana

By Chris Black, Globe Staff, 05/02/97

WASHINGTON Two Republican House members expressed reservations yesterday
about Governor William F. Weld's imminent nomination as ambassador to
Mexico because of his support for medicinal use of marijuana.

In the first sign of opposition to the nomination on Capitol Hill,
Representatives Mark Souder of Indiana and John Mica of Florida criticized
President Clinton's plan to send Weld to Mexico. They directed their
remarks to retired Army General Barry McCaffrey, Clinton's antidrug chief,
who was testifying at a subcommittee hearing on the reauthorization of the
drug policy office.

Mica encouraged Clinton to withdraw the nomination, said Sharon Pinkerton,
a spokeswoman for Mica.

Weld's nomination must be approved by the Senate, where no opposition has
yet surfaced. The House does not vote on ambassadorial appointments, but
conservative House members could influence their counterparts in the
Senate, particularly Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Souder said he views the nomination of Weld, who deviates from his party's
stance on medicinal marijuana, family planning, abortion, and gay rights as
``an embarrassment'' to the US government, said his spokeswoman, Angela
Flood.

Flood said Souder viewed medicinal use of marijuana as a ``first step''
toward legalization of the drug.

Souder and Mica complained at the hearing that Weld's support for limited
legalization of marijuana was at odds with the antidrug posture the United
States should maintain with Mexico, a major conduit for the transfer of
illegal drugs into this country.

Weld favors the use of marijuana as a prescribed drug for patients whose
doctors say it will relieve nausea and other side effects of chemotherapy
and as well as the symptoms of other diseases, such as glaucoma.

``The governor supports strictly regulated and limited use of marijuana for
medicinal purposes, and that has always been his policy,'' said Rob Gray, a
spokesman for Weld.

Weld declined to comment on yesterday's criticism.

This story ran on page a12 of the Boston Globe on 05/02/97.

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