19/07/2007 00:00:00
UK: What they said: Politicians on cannabis
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LABOUR
Tony Blair: "The only thing my father really drummed into me was never
to take drugs. And anyway, I was doing so many other things that I never
needed to."
John Reid, former Home Secretary, after a "minuscule" amount of cannabis
resin was found in his Scottish home last year: "I have no idea where it
came from, or when. There is absolutely no suggestion that this in any
way involves me or members of my family and both I and Strathclyde
Police regard the matter as closed."
Peter Hain, Work and Pensions Secretary: "I remember, when I was 19,
someone trying to stick a spliff or whatever you call them into my
mouth, angry that I wasn't smoking it."
Yvette Cooper, the minister for housing: "I did try cannabis while at
university, like a lot of students, and it is something that I have left
behind."
Charles Clarke, the former Home Secretary: "I was asked if I had ever
taken drugs and I replied I had taken it a couple of times in my late
teens. It is important to tell the truth."
Mo Mowlam, the late Northern Ireland Secretary: "I tried marijuana,
didn't like it particularly and, unlike President Clinton, I did inhale.
But it wasn't part of my life."
CONSERVATIVE
David Cameron, on revelations that he was disciplined for smoking
cannabis at Eton: "I'm not issuing a denial, what I am saying is that I
think it's an important principle that politicians are entitled to a
private past."
Francis Maude, former party chairman: "It was hard to go through
Cambridge in the 70s without doing it a few times."
Oliver Letwin, chairman of policy review: "Some friends put dope in my
pipe. It had no effect on me but I was extremely angry."
David Willetts, the shadow innovation secretary: "I had two puffs and
didn't like it."
Peter Ainsworth, the shadow environment secretary: "I didn't want to
live my life without discovering what it was like."
Tim Yeo, the MP for South Suffolk: "I was offered it on occasion and
enjoyed it. I think it can be a much more pleasant experience than
having too much to drink. I found it agreeable."
Lord Lamont, the former chancellor: "I have not smoked cannabis. But I
did eat a tiny bit of cannabis cake and all I can say is I enjoyed the
cake but that is all."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=0MFD522DZDF2BQFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/07/19/ncannabis719.xml
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12706
Author:
The Telegraph via UKCIA
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