JACKSON SAYS BUSH SHOULD ANSWER QUESTIONS ON DRUGS

WASHINGTON -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Friday that Texas Gov. George W.
Bush, the Republican presidential front-runner, should answer questions
about any past illegal drug use.

Jackson said the issue of past use of cocaine is a relevant question for
anyone running for public office because using cocaine is illegal. Noting
that Bush has toughened his state's anti-drug laws as governor, Jackson
said a majority of the 149,000 people in Texas prisons are serving time for
nonviolent drug offenses.

"You cannot say it's not the business of the press when it's public
policy," Jackson said. "You cannot enforce a law you did not adhere to."

Bush has declined to answer questions about any past drug use, often
attempting to end such lines of inquiry by quipping: "When I was young and
crazy, I was young and crazy."

Jackson dismissed that tack and told reporters, "There is no place in the
law for youthful indiscretions and possession and consumption of cocaine."

In 1997, Bush signed a law requiring Texas state judges to sentence people
convicted of possessing a gram or less of cocaine to a minimum of 180 days
in jail. Under old law, first-time drug offenders caught with less than a
gram of cocaine were given automatic probation with drug counseling.

If Bush admits he has used cocaine he will be admitting he has violated
both state and federal laws. But Jackson said any such admission shouldn't
stop Bush from pursuing the Republican Party's nomination for president.

"It would be a shame to lose a talent of this capacity on that question,"
Jackson said.

He said Bush should use the opportunity to campaign for a loosening of
state and federal drug laws that have caused thousands of first-time and
repeat nonviolent drug users to be imprisoned in recent years.

Because of the controversy surrounding Bush, "there is renewed discussion"
of relaxing some state and federal laws involving drug use, Jackson said.
"The same people who have been saying `throw away the key,'
`zero-tolerance' and `three strikes' are now saying `let's look at this
thing again.' "

Jackson said many state and federal drug laws are "too extreme" and that
people who use drugs should be given treatment rather than being thrown in
jail.

"Here's a rich favorite son who is now caught in a poor man's trap," he said.

Jackson said he has never used illegal drugs.