NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup said that the candidates' admissions illustrate the fact that millions of successful, hard-working Americans smoke pot recreationally, and that they should not be treated like criminals.

"The real question is not whether a candidate has smoked marijuana nearly half of the adult population, including many high ranking politicians such as former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and House Speaker Newt Gingrich admit that they have but whether or not that candidate believes that otherwise law abiding Americans should be arrested and jailed for engaging in the same behavior that they once did," Stroup said.

Among the three candidates who said they had smoked pot, none are on record in support of decriminalizing the possession of marijuana for adults, and only one Kerry has spoken firmly in support of the use of medicinal cannabis by seriously ill patients. Edwards has previously said that it would be "irresponsible" to demand the Justice Department cease arresting patients who use medical marijuana in compliance with state laws, while Dean vigorously opposed passage of a 2002 proposed Vermont law that would have legalized the use of marijuana for qualified patients.

Also speaking at last night's debate, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich said that he had never tried marijuana, but added that if elected President, he'd "decriminalize it." Kucinich has previously promised to sign an executive order allowing for the medicinal use of marijuana, and is a strong critic of current Administration's "war" on drugs.

Candidates Wesley Clark, Al Sharpton and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) also denied ever having smoked marijuana, while former Illinois Sen. Carol Mosley Braun declined to answer the question. Representative Dick Gephardt (D-MO) did not attend the debate.

For more information, please contact Keith Stroup of NORML at (202) 483-5500. To learn more about the candidates' positions on marijuana-related issues, please visit:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5722