Politicians On Pot
- Date: 2008-10-24 - Word Count: 986
Share This!
A politician with a marijuana fuelled past is nothing new - but actually coming out and admitting it is still something of a rarity. Despite this, there's still been a fair few who have bitten a potentially damaging bullet and admitted their past use of drugs. Of them, none have had it ruining their careers which perhaps means that the electorate are less concerned about drug abuse than traditional thought would suggest!
Norman Lamont
The former Conservative Chancellor Norman Lamont is the first cannabis MP on our list and sets a familiar tone of "Yeah, I did but I didn't enjoy it, so I can still be in favour of a ban." He revealed that he had once eaten marijuana in a "space cake" - "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."
John Hutton
John Hutton, the business, enterprise and regulatory reform secretary is the next MP with cannabis in the closet. According to a spokesman "he now regrets doing it, having seen the damage that cannabis can cause among some of the young people in his constituency."
Al Gore
Al Gore had previously admitted to smoking cannabis on an "infrequent and rare" basis in his youth, but if the 2000 book "Inventing Al Gore: A Biography" is to be believed this is a huge understatement. The former politician's marijuana usage is highlighted in a section which reads "Warnecke and two other friends from Gore's Nashville days say Gore was an enthusiastic recreational user, smoking sometimes as often as three or four times a week; after hours at Warnecke's house, on weekends at the Gore farm or canoeing on the Caney Fork River."
Bill Clinton
Former president Bill Clinton was the first high profile politician to announce he had tried Marijuana all the way back in 1992 when he was still a presidential hopeful. The former politician's marijuana history was famously played down: "I didn't like it and I didn't inhale and I never tried it again."
Jacquie Smith
The Home Secretary wins an award for bad timing for admitting her cannabis use - the day after it was announced that she would head up a review of UK drugs strategy, including a review of the laws relating to cannabis. The MP's admission went: "I did break the law… I was wrong… drugs are wrong." Following the pattern of playing down her usage, she said she had taken it "just a few times" and had "not particularly" enjoyed it.
Michael Bloomberg
You really have to admire the gusto with which New York mayor Michael Bloomberg answered the question when put to him during his 2001 mayoral campaign. Instead of dodging the issue or playing it down, the future politician's cannabis fuelled past was confirmed emphatically: "You bet I did. And I enjoyed it." He has since said he regretted it coming out, after it was used in a full page newspaper advertisement.
Alistair Darling
On a 2007 day when 5 Labour MPs' cannabis history came to light, Chancellor Alistair Darling was the most senior to own up. Mr Darling said that he had taken the drug "occasionally, in my youth."
Barack Obama
The Democratic nominee for the 2008 presidential election wrote in his 1995 memoirs "Dreams from my Father" that he used "pot… and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." He reverses a trend in this list by possibly exaggerating his drug use rather than trying to deny it, as more than three dozen friends, classmates and mentors of his say they have no recollection of him as heavy drug user.
His Republican opponent for the presidency by contrast says he has never smoked marijuana. When asked directly in the 2000 presidential nomination he said "No. Also remember my age: 63." Now 71, McCain was apparently referring to the fact that marijuana usage only became common with Vietnam soldiers after he was taken prisoner.
Boris Johnson
London's new mayor is rumoured to have taken both cocaine and marijuana in his time, but has a habit of contradicting himself when questioned directly. Nonetheless, The Guardian quotes him as saying he had smoked "quite a few spliffs" before he went to university. "It was jolly nice. But apparently it is very different these days. Much stronger. I've become very illiberal about it. I don't want my kids to take drugs."
George W Bush
President George W Bush has consistently refused to confirm or deny abusing cocaine and cannabis in his younger days, but a taped conversation with his appropriately named (presumably former!) friend Doug Wead appeared to prove the current leader did indeed once smoke cannabis.
When Mr Wead asked Bush over why he didn't answer any questions on drugs he said "I wouldn't answer the marijuana questions. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried."
He also took the opportunity to mock then opponat Al Gore's more open stance on marijuana saying "Baby boomers have got to grow up and say, yeah, I may have done drugs, but instead of admitting it, say to kids, 'don't do them'". Personally I think politicians' cannabis usage is a sure fire way to get impressionable children to swear off marijuana seeds for life, but whatever you say Mr President!
Bonus "Refused to Comment": David Cameron
There are also a number of UK politicians whose cannabis use is open to speculation thanks to their refusal to comment, most prominently Conservative leader David Cameron, despite being outed in a biography about him. The book - "Cameron, The Rise Of The New Conservative" - was serialised in the Mail on Sunday, and discusses how he was in trouble at Eton at the age of 15 for cannabis usage - an incident the police were called in for. The book claims Mr Cameron was not expelled like several other boys because he was not dealing - instead he was set the school's traditional punishment: copying out hundreds of lines of Latin poetry.
Norman Lamont
The former Conservative Chancellor Norman Lamont is the first cannabis MP on our list and sets a familiar tone of "Yeah, I did but I didn't enjoy it, so I can still be in favour of a ban." He revealed that he had once eaten marijuana in a "space cake" - "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."
John Hutton
John Hutton, the business, enterprise and regulatory reform secretary is the next MP with cannabis in the closet. According to a spokesman "he now regrets doing it, having seen the damage that cannabis can cause among some of the young people in his constituency."
Al Gore
Al Gore had previously admitted to smoking cannabis on an "infrequent and rare" basis in his youth, but if the 2000 book "Inventing Al Gore: A Biography" is to be believed this is a huge understatement. The former politician's marijuana usage is highlighted in a section which reads "Warnecke and two other friends from Gore's Nashville days say Gore was an enthusiastic recreational user, smoking sometimes as often as three or four times a week; after hours at Warnecke's house, on weekends at the Gore farm or canoeing on the Caney Fork River."
Bill Clinton
Former president Bill Clinton was the first high profile politician to announce he had tried Marijuana all the way back in 1992 when he was still a presidential hopeful. The former politician's marijuana history was famously played down: "I didn't like it and I didn't inhale and I never tried it again."
Jacquie Smith
The Home Secretary wins an award for bad timing for admitting her cannabis use - the day after it was announced that she would head up a review of UK drugs strategy, including a review of the laws relating to cannabis. The MP's admission went: "I did break the law… I was wrong… drugs are wrong." Following the pattern of playing down her usage, she said she had taken it "just a few times" and had "not particularly" enjoyed it.
Michael Bloomberg
You really have to admire the gusto with which New York mayor Michael Bloomberg answered the question when put to him during his 2001 mayoral campaign. Instead of dodging the issue or playing it down, the future politician's cannabis fuelled past was confirmed emphatically: "You bet I did. And I enjoyed it." He has since said he regretted it coming out, after it was used in a full page newspaper advertisement.
Alistair Darling
On a 2007 day when 5 Labour MPs' cannabis history came to light, Chancellor Alistair Darling was the most senior to own up. Mr Darling said that he had taken the drug "occasionally, in my youth."
Barack Obama
The Democratic nominee for the 2008 presidential election wrote in his 1995 memoirs "Dreams from my Father" that he used "pot… and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." He reverses a trend in this list by possibly exaggerating his drug use rather than trying to deny it, as more than three dozen friends, classmates and mentors of his say they have no recollection of him as heavy drug user.
His Republican opponent for the presidency by contrast says he has never smoked marijuana. When asked directly in the 2000 presidential nomination he said "No. Also remember my age: 63." Now 71, McCain was apparently referring to the fact that marijuana usage only became common with Vietnam soldiers after he was taken prisoner.
Boris Johnson
London's new mayor is rumoured to have taken both cocaine and marijuana in his time, but has a habit of contradicting himself when questioned directly. Nonetheless, The Guardian quotes him as saying he had smoked "quite a few spliffs" before he went to university. "It was jolly nice. But apparently it is very different these days. Much stronger. I've become very illiberal about it. I don't want my kids to take drugs."
George W Bush
President George W Bush has consistently refused to confirm or deny abusing cocaine and cannabis in his younger days, but a taped conversation with his appropriately named (presumably former!) friend Doug Wead appeared to prove the current leader did indeed once smoke cannabis.
When Mr Wead asked Bush over why he didn't answer any questions on drugs he said "I wouldn't answer the marijuana questions. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried."
He also took the opportunity to mock then opponat Al Gore's more open stance on marijuana saying "Baby boomers have got to grow up and say, yeah, I may have done drugs, but instead of admitting it, say to kids, 'don't do them'". Personally I think politicians' cannabis usage is a sure fire way to get impressionable children to swear off marijuana seeds for life, but whatever you say Mr President!
Bonus "Refused to Comment": David Cameron
There are also a number of UK politicians whose cannabis use is open to speculation thanks to their refusal to comment, most prominently Conservative leader David Cameron, despite being outed in a biography about him. The book - "Cameron, The Rise Of The New Conservative" - was serialised in the Mail on Sunday, and discusses how he was in trouble at Eton at the age of 15 for cannabis usage - an incident the police were called in for. The book claims Mr Cameron was not expelled like several other boys because he was not dealing - instead he was set the school's traditional punishment: copying out hundreds of lines of Latin poetry.
Related Tags: marijuana, cannabis, marijuana seeds
Robert Kane works for Sensible Seeds. Based in the UK, the company sells souvenir marijuana seeds and informational books on cannabis to customers all over the world. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Third Term - The Obasanjo Syndrome ... Ambition and the Place of God
I recently read a post in a blog (multibrand.blogspot.com) concerning President SBY of Indonesia amb - Black Veterans Still Not Receiving Their Due
With a Black President, many discussions have been re-kindled regarding the treatment of Blacks in v - Are Green Party Candidates Converting Voters?
Have you noticed that the Green Party Convention is hosting a few training sessions which include th - The National Debt: Young Americans Are Inheriting a Sinking Ship
The greatest fundamental weakness of the United States of America is its national debt. Debt weighs - America Must Return to Its Free Market Roots
The United States is the most prosperous country in the world. Its economy has been a constant engin - Policies Of President Obama And Democratic Congress Severely Undermine Job Opportunities For Young Americans
For Young Americans, this is the worst job market in decades. Despite politicians claiming we are on - The Virtues Of A Limited Federal Government And Why America Must Return To The Limited Federal Republic Laid Out In The Constitution
I consider the foundation of the Constitution . . . that 'all powers not delegated to the United Sta - Young Americans Have Largest Stake In Maintaining A Strong Military And Effective Homeland Security Policies
Americans are truly blessed to live in a country protected by the most powerful and effective milita - Why Hitler Wanted To Ban Guns
Whenever the name Adolf Hitler is mentioned one automatically makes a connection to the Holocaust, N - What Happened To The Mohave County Downwinders?
I always get a bit frustrated when I hear that the reason Mohave County was excluded from the Radiat
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Designer Shoes Come First In Global Poll Of Most Wanted Accessories
For both men and women, shoes have long been an essential fashion item. In fact, many women in popul - New US Ambassador for Indonesia Named
The US government has appointed Cameron R. Hume as the next ambassador to Indonesia, reliable source - 1984 By George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell In the book "1984" Orwell criticizes totalitarianism of all types and brings - Chaos Theory: Bush's delusions & Iraq's destiny (Part 2)
The classic counter-insurgency strategy of the US consists of the "ink-blotch" approach. This involv - Will Israel Attack Iran (Part 2)
In November of last year, I wrote an article speculating about whether or not the Israelis would tak - Rodrigues Island 'autonomy'
Rodrigues Island: 'Autonomy' The first few pages were qui - Obama Is Coming, Clear The Way!
"Obama biro, yawne yo!" (Obama is coming, clear the way)—Tens of thousands of cheering Luo "Tr - African Tribes
African Tribes In this article the economies and lifestyles of such African tribes as the Lele and - This Is Not Your Dad's Republican Party Anymore
Stock markets are strange because they reflect the sum total of all our hopes, fears and prejudices - How to Drastically Reduce our Foreign Oil Dependency While Saving you Money at the Pump
If you watch or listen to the news, discussions come up all the time about the price of a barrel of