Pubdate: Wed, 27 Mar 2002
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2002 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

SCENT OF CANNABIS WAFTS INTO PRESIDENTIAL RACE

French Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin stirred controversy by 
suggesting that occasional smokers of cannabis should be treated with leniency.

Supporters of conservative President Jacques Chirac, his neck-and-neck 
rival in the April 21 vote, slammed the remarks as irresponsible, while the 
pro-legalization lobby called for a debate on reform of France's tough drug 
laws.

Jospin said legalization would send the wrong signal to the young but 
insisted that France's 32-year-old drug laws should be applied "in an 
intelligent manner" toward users.
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