PATERSON SAYS HE TRIED COCAINE AND MARIJUANA IN 1970s

A week after admitting that he had been unfaithful to his wife on
multiple occasions, Gov. David A. Paterson made another confession
about his past, telling a television interviewer on Monday that he
had tried both cocaine and marijuana in his early 20s.

In an appearance on NY1 News, Mr. Paterson said he had tried cocaine
"a couple of times" when he was about 22 or 23, and marijuana when he
was about 20.

He indicated that he had not used illegal drugs since.

"I don't think I've touched marijuana since the late '70s," Mr.
Paterson, 53, said. "Most Americans during that period of time tried
a whole lot more than that, and then gone on and led responsible lives."

Mr. Paterson said he had answered the same way during the 2006
campaign when asked about past drug use.

The interviewer, Dominic Carter, also asked Mr. Paterson whether he
thought it was wise to discuss his past drug use now, when he is the
governor rather than a candidate for lieutenant governor.

"You're suggesting that I would change my answer because I was
governor that I gave when I was a candidate for lieutenant governor,"
Mr. Paterson said.

He acknowledged that he was undoubtedly under closer scrutiny now,
but he added, "There's only one truth, and that's what I told you."