MANLEY REGRETS NEVER SMOKING POT 'BECAUSE NOW IT'S DE RIGUEUR'

OTTAWA (CP) - In a new twist on a weedy old political conundrum, Liberal
leadership hopeful John Manley has turned the once-dreaded pot-smoking
question on its ear.

The finance minister and deputy prime minister, 53, is on record supporting
decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, a measure the
Liberal government has promised to introduce this spring. But until now,
Manley hadn't spoken about his personal experience with the drug. The
question of pot smoking by politicians has become standard fare in recent
years. Responses have ranged from former U.S. president Bill Clinton's
disingenuous, "yes, but I didn't inhale," to Heritage Minister Sheila
Copps's rather more enthusiastic "absolutely."

Manley had to concede in an interview Thursday with The Canadian Press that
the psychedelic sixties passed him by.

"No, never," Manley deadpanned when asked if he'd ever smoked pot.

"I regret that, now, because apparently it's 'de rigueur.'"

The Oxford dictionary definition of de rigueur is something that is
required by custom or etiquette.

Manley's strange confession comes two days after Prime Minister Jean
Chretien cautioned an applauding group of Liberals at a party fundraiser in
Ottawa not to spark up just yet because the decriminalization measures
haven't been passed.