News (Media Awareness Project) - Australia: MP Who Was Stoned In Parly Says Several MPs Smoke |
| Title: | Australia: MP Who Was Stoned In Parly Says Several MPs Smoke |
| Published On: | 1999-05-11 |
| Source: | Associated Press |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-06 06:46:27 |
MP WHO WAS STONED IN PARLY SAYS SEVERAL MPS SMOKE GRASS
Several New South Wales MPs currently smoked marijuana, according to
upper house MP Richard Jones, who said today he used the illegal drug
to relieve stress and had once been stoned in parliament.
The independent also welcomed state opposition leader Kerry
Chikarovski's revelation she smoked marijuana while at university in
the 1970s.
Less than one week before a drug summit at parliament house, Mrs
Chikarovski quipped on US President Bill Clinton's famous defence of
his dope smoking.
"Do you want me to use the Clinton defence? Did I inhale?" she said on
ABC Radio.
Mr Jones, a former Democrat, told journalists: "I actually wonder if
she ever exhaled, in fact.
"I think she's qualified herself for the drug summit because most of
the people there have used drugs of one form or another."
Mrs Chikarovski said the drug should not be legalised because she
believed it was 30 times stronger now than it was when her generation
used it.
Mr Jones disagreed with her claim.
"That's simply not true because in those days we used to have Buddha
sticks and Lebanese wedding hash and Durban poison," he said.
"We had a lot imported in those days and now it's mostly homegrown,
and it's not any stronger, I can assure you."
Mr Jones said he believed at least six MPs smoked marijuana and at
least half the 135 MPs would have used marijuana, based on a survey of
federal parliamentarians.
He said he had been stoned in parliament house once four or five years
ago and now used marijuana once every fortnight.
"Sometimes I get really stressed out and then I have a couple of tokes
of a joint and I meditate for one or two hours and it really brings me
down tremendously," he said.
He took the opportunity to take a swipe at former upper house
president Max Willis, who was caught presiding over the chamber drunk.
"I have never spoken in the house, I don't think, that I recall, when
I'm stoned," he said.
"Nor have I been in there when I'm drunk either, which is very common,
of course, for other people."
Several New South Wales MPs currently smoked marijuana, according to
upper house MP Richard Jones, who said today he used the illegal drug
to relieve stress and had once been stoned in parliament.
The independent also welcomed state opposition leader Kerry
Chikarovski's revelation she smoked marijuana while at university in
the 1970s.
Less than one week before a drug summit at parliament house, Mrs
Chikarovski quipped on US President Bill Clinton's famous defence of
his dope smoking.
"Do you want me to use the Clinton defence? Did I inhale?" she said on
ABC Radio.
Mr Jones, a former Democrat, told journalists: "I actually wonder if
she ever exhaled, in fact.
"I think she's qualified herself for the drug summit because most of
the people there have used drugs of one form or another."
Mrs Chikarovski said the drug should not be legalised because she
believed it was 30 times stronger now than it was when her generation
used it.
Mr Jones disagreed with her claim.
"That's simply not true because in those days we used to have Buddha
sticks and Lebanese wedding hash and Durban poison," he said.
"We had a lot imported in those days and now it's mostly homegrown,
and it's not any stronger, I can assure you."
Mr Jones said he believed at least six MPs smoked marijuana and at
least half the 135 MPs would have used marijuana, based on a survey of
federal parliamentarians.
He said he had been stoned in parliament house once four or five years
ago and now used marijuana once every fortnight.
"Sometimes I get really stressed out and then I have a couple of tokes
of a joint and I meditate for one or two hours and it really brings me
down tremendously," he said.
He took the opportunity to take a swipe at former upper house
president Max Willis, who was caught presiding over the chamber drunk.
"I have never spoken in the house, I don't think, that I recall, when
I'm stoned," he said.
"Nor have I been in there when I'm drunk either, which is very common,
of course, for other people."
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