MEDIA GETS THE DOPE ON MINISTER

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon says he's no pothead, even if he enjoyed a
spliff in his youth.

Cauchon, who is considering decriminalizing the illegal drug, candidly
admitted yesterday to having previously smoked a joint.

"I'm 39 years old. I was elected first when I was 31 years old. Yes, of
course I tried it before, obviously," Cauchon said.

Cauchon added that he no longer smokes dope, but refused to say whether the
drug negatively effected him.

"My own experience can't tell you if it's harmful or not," he said.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien sidestepped a direct question on whether he's
ever smoked pot, answering that decriminalizing the substance is under review.

The PM later said he wasn't familiar with marijuana during his youth and
was too old to try it when he was told about it.

Cauchon is considering decriminalizing marijuana to eliminate a patchwork
legal system that sees those caught with weed treated differently depending
on where they live.

Cauchon said before he acts he'll wait for Senate and Commons committees
both studying the decriminalization of marijuana in Canada to report their
findings.