[Sativa]

A Wigan MP involved in the "Cannabis Cabinet" confessions has spoken out over reports of his drug use.

Andy Burnham said he tried cannabis in his youth, his admission coming in the wake of revelations by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that she had used the drug while at university.

But Leigh MP Mr Burnham, who was made Chief Secretary to the Treasury last month, believes the coverage of his admission has been over-blown and claims he only smoked pot "once or twice"' before deciding it was not for him.

The 37-year-old was studying at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, during the early 1990s when he dabbled with the drug - then a Class B controlled substance.

He said: "I gave a straight answer to a straight question but I feel a bit annoyed that it has given a misleading impression.

"It was once or twice – literally – and I feel it creates an impression that I smoked the drug more than that, which is not true.

"Anyone who knows me knows I've always been very anti-drugs and anti-smoking all my life."
Seven members of Gordon Brown's cabinet have now made admissions about using cannabis.

Mr Burnham said he had some regrets about answering the question but also said he would not have been happy to give a "no comment" answer. "I don't ever try to give 'slippery' answers to these questions, unlike some politicians. I'd rather deal with things and try and be up front."

He reiterated: "I have never smoked cigarettes in my life and I've never taken any other drugs.
"The journalists who contacted me were phoning all the cabinet and asking them the question.
"I've never been asked it before but I wasn't going to lie."

He says he was warned against the dangers of drugs by his parents when he left Leigh to study in Cambridge and wants to pass on the same advice to today's youngsters.

"My dad's advice when I was leaving to go to university was 'son, stick to beer', and that's what I did.

"I would say to any young person in the Wigan or Leigh area: don't even try drugs because I've seen the damage it has done to people of my generation and, in my experience, it generally does nothing but pure harm."

News Hawk- Lord Mong http://www.420Magazine.com
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