For Candidates, Marijuana Is No Longer Taboo

Admissions of Past Use Fail to Provoke Outcry

WASHINGTON - When it comes to marijuana, youthful indiscretion has
come of age.

Lots of politicians, including three of the Democratic presidential
candidates, show no fear of admitting that they lighted up in their
wild-oats days. And some who deny dabbling in illegal drugs give the
impression that instead of feeling self-righteous, they're a little
nervous about coming across as dishonest or just square.

Times have changed since one of President Ronald Reagan's Supreme
Court nominees was jettisoned because of pot smoking in his past, and
even over the decade since candidate Bill Clinton felt obliged to
equivocate about whether he had inhaled.

"We're just facing reality. People do a lot of things when they're
young," said Joseph Califano, chairman of Columbia University's
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse and a former U.S.
health secretary.

As young people who were part of the explosion in drug use in the
1970s matured and moved into public service, voters of all ages
gradually have become more accepting of drug transgressions.

"If we disqualified guys that had used drugs in those years, we'd
probably eliminate half the potential candidates or more," Califano
said.

In addition to Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, Supreme Court
Justice Clarence Thomas, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and
several past senators and Cabinet secretaries have admitted at least
trying marijuana. New York Gov. George E. Pataki says he inhaled, as
does New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

President Bush, who speaks in broad terms about overcoming a drinking
problem, refuses to answer specific questions about his past behavior.

Eight candidates at a recent Democratic presidential debate were asked
whether they had used marijuana. Three - Sen. John Kerry of
Massachusetts, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and former Vermont
Gov. Howard Dean - each answered with an unadorned "yes," drawing
enthusiastic applause from the "Rock the Vote" event's youthful audience.

Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois laughingly declined to
answer.

Candidates who said they hadn't smoked pot felt the need to
elaborate.

"I grew up in the church. We didn't believe in that," Al Sharpton
explained.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio said he never tried marijuana, "but I
think it ought to be decriminalized."

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut offered a joking apology:
"Well, you know, I have a reputation for giving unpopular answers in
Democratic debates. I never used marijuana, sorry."

Only Wesley K. Clark offered a straightforward, "Never used
it."

The candidates' admissions caused barely a ripple in the media,
provoked no significant Republican attacks and no signs of public
outrage. But conservative moralist William J. Bennett, co-chairman of
Partnership for a Drug-Free America, said he was disappointed by "this
kind of tee-hee, ha ha, winking and nodding at marijuana."

"It's not a lighthearted issue. It's a serious issue," said Bennett,
who was director of drug control policy under the first President
Bush. "They wouldn't joke like this about smoking cigarettes