Pubdate: Thu, 19 Aug, 1999 Source: Toronto Star (Canada) Copyright: 1999, The Toronto Star Contact: http://www.thestar.com/ Author: Dan Balz and Paul Duggan, Special to the Star BUSH: I HAVEN'T DONE DRUGS IN PAST 7 YEARS WASHINGTON -- Texas Governor George W. Bush told a newspaper yesterday that he has not used drugs in the past seven years, but refused to answer other questions about illegal drug use before that time. Bush's answer to a Dallas Morning News reporter marked the first time the Republican presidential candidate had responded to a question about drug use. He previously had vigorously declined to do so, saying he would not play the "Washington game" of responding to rumours. The paper asked Bush whether he would insist that any appointees in a future Bush administration answer questions about drug use that are part of the normal FBI background check. "As I understand it, the current form asks the question, 'Did somebody use drugs within the last seven years?' and I will be glad to answer that question, and the answer is 'no,' " Bush told the newspaper. Mindy Tucker, a spokesperson for the Bush campaign, said last night Bush had answered the question because "this is going to be asked of anybody who serves in his administration, should he become president. He feels he should take the lead in answering it. It is not a question about the mistakes of a young man." Bush has said in the past that when he was "young and irresponsible," he did things that were irresponsible. Bush has been asked repeatedly about whether he used illegal drugs, including cocaine, earlier in his life, although no credible allegations have been made that he did so. - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder