Pubdate: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 Source: Baltimore Sun (MD) Copyright: 2003 The Baltimore Sun, a Times Mirror Newspaper. Contact: http://www.sunspot.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37 Author: Associated Press For Candidates, Marijuana Is No Longer Taboo Admissions of Past Use Fail to Provoke Outcry WASHINGTON - When it comes to marijuana, youthful indiscretion has come of age. Lots of politicians, including three of the Democratic presidential candidates, show no fear of admitting that they lighted up in their wild-oats days. And some who deny dabbling in illegal drugs give the impression that instead of feeling self-righteous, they're a little nervous about coming across as dishonest or just square. Times have changed since one of President Ronald Reagan's Supreme Court nominees was jettisoned because of pot smoking in his past, and even over the decade since candidate Bill Clinton felt obliged to equivocate about whether he had inhaled. "We're just facing reality. People do a lot of things when they're young," said Joseph Califano, chairman of Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse and a former U.S. health secretary. As young people who were part of the explosion in drug use in the 1970s matured and moved into public service, voters of all ages gradually have become more accepting of drug transgressions. "If we disqualified guys that had used drugs in those years, we'd probably eliminate half the potential candidates or more," Califano said. In addition to Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and several past senators and Cabinet secretaries have admitted at least trying marijuana. New York Gov. George E. Pataki says he inhaled, as does New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. President Bush, who speaks in broad terms about overcoming a drinking problem, refuses to answer specific questions about his past behavior. Eight candidates at a recent Democratic presidential debate were asked whether they had used marijuana. Three - Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean - each answered with an unadorned "yes," drawing enthusiastic applause from the "Rock the Vote" event's youthful audience. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois laughingly declined to answer. Candidates who said they hadn't smoked pot felt the need to elaborate. "I grew up in the church. We didn't believe in that," Al Sharpton explained. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio said he never tried marijuana, "but I think it ought to be decriminalized." Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut offered a joking apology: "Well, you know, I have a reputation for giving unpopular answers in Democratic debates. I never used marijuana, sorry." Only Wesley K. Clark offered a straightforward, "Never used it." The candidates' admissions caused barely a ripple in the media, provoked no significant Republican attacks and no signs of public outrage. But conservative moralist William J. Bennett, co-chairman of Partnership for a Drug-Free America, said he was disappointed by "this kind of tee-hee, ha ha, winking and nodding at marijuana." "It's not a lighthearted issue. It's a serious issue," said Bennett, who was director of drug control policy under the first President Bush. "They wouldn't joke like this about smoking cigarettes - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake