Pubdate: Wed, 17 May 2006
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2006 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175
Author: Duncan Campbell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

DRUGS MINISTER SMOKED CANNABIS

Bill Clinton smoked it but did not inhale and yesterday Britain's
new drugs minister admitted to "one or two puffs" while a student many
years ago. Vernon Coaker, who was appointed Home Office minister with
responsibility for drugs on May 5, said that he had "not enjoyed" the
experience which took place at a party.

The MP for Gedling and former deputy headteacher was on his first
ministerial outing at a drugs project in the Midlands when he told the
Coventry Evening Telegraph: "When I was a student, I took one or two
puffs of marijuana but that was it. I think it was once or twice."

Mr Coaker, who studied economics and politics at Warwick university,
joins a long list of politicians who have come clean. Apart from the
former US president, who conducted his shallow-breathing tests at
Oxford, a septet of Tory shadow ministers, including Oliver Letwin,
Francis Maude and Lord Strathclyde, told the Mail on Sunday in 2000
that cannabis had briefly touched their student lips.

A Home Office spokeswoman said last night: "The minister briefly tried
cannabis at university in the 1970s on one or two occasions ... The
minister has been open about his past experiences and is fully
committed to taking forward the government's drugs strategy."

Cannabis law reform campaigners welcomed Mr Coaker's candour last
night. "MPs from all parties have admitted prior cannabis use," said
Andy Cornwell of the Cannabis Education Trust, "but are there any
prepared to admit current cannabis use, even for medical reasons?

"Hypocrisy has always prevented an honest drugs debate."
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake