The Drugs Cabinet
The revelations are coming thick and fast today on cabinet ministers and their “youthful” drug use. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary started this off by admitting that, when asked whether or not she had ever smoked cannabis, saying:
“I have. I did when I was at university. I think it was wrong that I smoked it when I did. I have not done for 25 years.”
This has now been followed by revelations from Alistair Darling that he had smoked cannabis “occasionally in my youth”, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Andy Burnham, who had smoked it “once or twice at university”, Hazel Blears who tried cannabis “once or twice when very young,” and, surprisingly, Ruth Kelly as well.
And my comment, as I said when David Cameron was accused of smoking cannabis, is: So what? Who cares? So you smoked cannabis when you were at university? Many people do. Politicians can have pasts too! It may have mattered in the past, but not any more.
It is all due to the government wanting to reclassify cannabis back to a Class B drug, and being able to point the finger at David Cameron for not having answered whether or not he has smoked cannabis in his past. This sort of mass “coming out” will protect them all from any negative repercussions from these “revelations”, but also makes them wide open to the sort of joke I have used as the title of this post. By doing this, they don’t necessarily win or lose anything, except for maybe a bit of disgruntlement from some especially anti-drug campaigners.
It is amusing that all the politicians who admit having tried cannabis also all say that they didn’t enjoy it, or that it didn’t do anything for them. What a load of bollocks they’re talking! People wouldn’t do it if it had no effect, and be refusing to admit that they liked it even the tiniest bit gains them no points back from the anti-drugs squad or wins them any from those who have or do smoke cannabis.
Reclassifying cannabis back up to Class B isn’t going to work very well, and their justifications for it on the grounds of fears that its use is linked to psychotic illness, depression and suicide among young people are pretty slim. I’ve pretty much come round to thinking that cannabis should be legal, since it barely seems to have any worse effects than drinking alcohol or cigarette smoking, and being legal would cut down the extent to which it is a “gateway drug”.
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Just like Bill Clinton…. he smoked it once or twice, but he didn’t inhale. (Of course.)
As I commented at Iain’s - it’s just too ridiculous for words.
I’m sure the cabinet would be much more effective if they skinned-up every evening; certainly might start to quell their urges to control every minute facet of our lives.
What kind of prick gets through University without smoking a joint? Rite of passage and all that.
ruthie @
I liked Bill’s Cigar antics even more - I think he inhaled that too, the rascal.