The addition of former Mexico President Vicente Fox to the board of High Times brings "credibility" to the cannabis culture company.
That's according to CEO Adam Levin, who joined Cheddar for an interview on Tuesday.
"You have that stoner stereotype," Levin said. "President Fox has been a great advocate of cannabis and legalization across the world. And as we go into more and more markets, hopefully \[he\] will be a strong advocate for the company and legalization in general."
Fox, who served as president of Mexico from 2000 to 2006, has argued that broad legalization of marijuana will reduce the impact of drug cartels and also create jobs and lead to medical advancements. He's also lobbied to include cannabis in the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying it should not be treated as a "criminal issue."
He's not the first high-profile ex-politician to team up with a cannabis company this year. Investment firm Acreage Holdings added former [U.S. House Speaker John Boehner](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-john-boehner-changed-his-mind-on-cannabis) to its board in April.
And High Times's addition comes as the publisher gears up for an IPO on the Nasdaq. The company on Tuesday also [launched a crowdfunded "pre-sale"](https://cheddar.com/videos/high-times-preps-for-ipo-with-crowdsourcing-drive) ahead of that offering, with shares available on its website for $11 apiece.
"We value the community and value the fans that have been consumers of ours for so long," Levin said. "We thought we'd give them an opportunity to grow with us. Cannabis valuations are great, and we're excited to join the ranks of the public companies in the cannabis industry."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/adam-levin-on-taking-high-times-public-on-the-nasdaq).
Elon Musk unveiled 'Grok,' his new A.I. chatbot over the weekend, adding that it will be more rebellious than its counterparts. Cheddar News breaks it down.
Heinz is combining two popular flavors for its new condiment, pickle ketchup.
Federal health officials are expanding an investigation into potentially lead-tainted pouches of apple cinnamon fruit puree marketed for children amid reports of more illnesses and additional product recalls.
Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by businessman Warren Buffett, reported its operating earnings in its most recent quarter jumped more than 40% from a year ago but posted its first net quarterly loss in a year.
Maks Chmerkovskiy and wife Peta Murgatroyd, of "Dancing With the Stars" fame, are branching out into skincare.
Donald Trump began testifying Monday morning in his civil fraud trial, producing the spectacle of a former president and the leading Republican presidential candidate defending himself against allegations that he dramatically inflated his net worth.
The trial between Google and the maker of the game Fortnite will begin Monday as a San Francisco jury will hear Epic Games' case claiming the Google Play Store takes an unfair commission on purchases made through apps.
One of the most self-made and success stories in the country, Emma Grede, has worked along with the Kardashian Jenner family on many of their best-known brands. Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American, gave back to the next generation of business leaders as a featured speaker at the Chase for Business Make Your Move summit last week. She spoke with Cheddar News about her career, her company's fashion brand, working with the famous Kardashian-Jennifer family and balancing her own family life.
Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by businessman Warren Buffett, reported its operating earnings in its most recent quarter jumped more than 40% from a year ago but posted its first net quarterly loss in a year.
Elon Musk's company XaI has announced a new chatbot called Grok.
