cannabisnews.com: Top British Tories Admit Soft Drug Use Top British Tories Admit Soft Drug Use Posted by FoM on October 08, 2000 at 15:04:23 PT By Edna Fernandes, Reuters Source: Washington Post Britain's opposition Conservatives saw their hardline stance on soft drugs undermined on Sunday when seven members of the Tory leadership admitted they had been users. The timing of the admission was embarrassing, coming days after home affairs spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe unveiled plans to crack down on use of soft drugs with 100 pound ($144) spot fines. The policy was mocked by other politicians and the police, who said it was unworkable. The plan came under fresh pressure as it emerged that Widdecombe's own shadow cabinet colleagues had once dabbled in drugs. Asked whether reports of past drug use were true, a Conservative spokeswoman told Reuters: "Yes. It's true seven experimented with drugs. But we're not commenting any further." She insisted there would be no change to party policy despite calls from one senior Tory for a rethink. Those who smoked marijuana or used other soft drugs in the past included shadow foreign affairs spokesman Francis Maude, shadow transport and environment spokesman Archie Norman and the Tory leader in the House of Lords, Lord Strathclyde. All admitted to using drugs, mostly while at university, to the Mail on Sunday newspaper. Tory culture spokesman Peter Ainsworth, who confessed to using cannabis and amyl nitrate at Oxford University, called for a policy rethink. "I have to say the policy does need to be subjected to further discussion...The policy needs to be further refined," he told the BBC. Asked whether Widdecombe had made a mistake devising a policy which was likely to alienate many voters, he said: "We all make mistakes. I clearly made a mistake a quarter of a century ago when I did occasionally take drugs. We all do that and accept that people are fallible." Multi-millionaire Norman had no regrets. "I don't regret having done it. You expect human beings to explore and experiment. If you don't, you haven't been young," he said in the newspaper. Others who confessed were transport spokesman Bernard Jenkin, social security spokesman David Willetts and shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Oliver Letwin, who said his cigarette had been spiked. The newspaper said the seven had decided to come clean because they feared Widdecombe's hardline stance would alienate young voters at a time when the party was trying to reposition itself towards the middle ground ahead of an election. A crime survey two years ago showed one in four Britons had tried cannabis, with the figure rising to 42 percent for those under 30 years of age.By Edna Fernandes, ReutersPublished: Sunday , October 8, 2000 © 2000 Reuters Related Articles:No Clash Over Cannabis - Governmenthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4443.shtmlHague's Wacky Curb on Cannabishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/4/thread4640.shtmlBritain's Anti-Drug Chief Mowlam Smoked Cannabis http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4335.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by EdC on October 09, 2000 at 05:18:03 PT: people in high places who tried drugs Including the one who claims that his cigarette was spiked, seven members of Britain's Tory leadership admit that they used soft drugs in the past. At least they admit it.In the United States we have a sitting President who claims to have smoked pot without inhaling, and two potential Presidential successors who are also morons of the oxy type.Contestant number one, present Governor of Texas, simply claims that he was "young and foolish when he was young and foolish." He makes it abundantly clear that, if elected, equally young and foolish people will be punished severely.Contestant number two, our current Vice-President, has never admitted to either youth or foolishness despite claims to the contrary. He blames no past drug use for his selective memory loss and promises more of the same if elected. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Frank on October 08, 2000 at 20:57:05 PT Do it and We will Do You It’s ok if we smoked pot -- we have money and power, but don’t you do it. If you do smoke pot, we will do you – for the children’s sake (prison term, forfeiture, probation, fines and worthless therapy). Sincerely,The Government [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on October 08, 2000 at 15:23:39 PT: Do as I say, not as I - er, - have done? It seems pols are as short-sighted in Britain as here; they insist upon demanding obeisance to laws that they, themselves, have broken.To the curious, I invite them to view Richard Cowan's 4:20 news program at http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/2000-10-05-296.ram and get a look at Ms. Widdecombe, standing holding a wineglass. If any drug qualifies as 'hard', it's alcohol, and she appears as if she's had entirely too much, to the point of morbid obesity. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: