Pubdate: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2005 Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Philip Authier, CanWest News Service SECOND PQ CANDIDATE ADMITS TO DRUG USE Pauline Marois reveals she tried pot as a teen but did not like it MONTREAL - It's done wonders for Andre Boisclair in the polls. Now another Parti Quebecois leadership candidate has admitted to using illegal drugs. Pauline Marois, the number two candidate in the race, yesterday confirmed she tried pot when she was 19 -- and she inhaled. But she did not like it and stopped, Ms. Marois said at the end of a televised debate on TVA. On Sept. 19, front-runner Mr. Boisclair admitted he had used cocaine in the past. His standing in the polls immediately shot up. The straitlaced, 56-year-old Ms. Marois, meanwhile, has seen her standing slip. Political cartoonists have made fun of the situation, portraying her as suddenly turning into a drug addict in a bid to save her campaign. Even Premier Jean Charest has become a drug addict in political cartoons, given his own pathetic standing in the polls and the magic effect of Mr. Boisclair's admission. Yesterday, Ms. Marois got her chance to clear the air -- so to speak - -- on the TVA Sunday political panel hosted by veteran reporters Paul Larocque of TVA and Michel C. Auger of the Journal de Montreal. ''Madame Marois, have you ever consumed an illegal drug?'' Mr. Auger asked during a half-hour debate between Ms. Marois and Mr. Boisclair. ''No,'' Ms. Marois said. ''Er, maybe I smoked pot at 19 years of age.'' ''Maybe?'' Mr. Auger asked. ''Yes, I tried. I tried at age 19. I inhaled. I didn't really like it, though.'' Mr. Boisclair, who has refused to discuss the cocaine story since his September admission -- he has been ending news conferences and walking out if asked about his drug use -- got his own hot question yesterday: When exactly did he stop consuming? ''It's been several years,'' was all he said before complaining the campaign has been hard on his personal life. ''I can tell you it was not easy to answer at a news conference when I launched my campaign, 'Mr. Boisclair, do you think as a gay person you can become premier?' ''I can tell you I am in full control of my faculties.'' Mr. Boisclair, 39, and Ms. Marois used the debate to snipe at each other over who was the source of speculation on Mr. Boisclair's past, with Mr. Boisclair again accusing Ms. Marois's camp of fabricating and fuelling outrageous stories and Ms. Marois challenging him to prove it. She objected when he snidely suggested that at least he was loyal to former leader Bernard Landry while Ms. Marois had demanded a leadership race even before the results of a party confidence vote were known. Asked what title he would give a biography of Ms. Marois's life, Mr. Boisclair said: "Perseverance." Ms. Marois chose Andre, a Man Who Believes in Quebec. Mr. Boisclair and Ms. Marois get another chance to debate on Wednesday when the PQ stages its fourth all-candidates' debate, this time at the Capitol Theatre in Quebec City. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt Elrod