Ontario premier admits smoking a bit of marijuana, while Toronto mayor smoked ‘a lot’

After months of saying “next question” to reporters’ queries about his alleged crack cocaine video, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was utterly forthright in admitting he has smoked “a lot of” marijuana. The Toronto mayor said he had no problem admitting to that prior drug use. “Oh yeah,” he said nonchalantly when asked if he had ever smoked pot. “I won’t deny that,” he said with a smile as he walked away. “I smoked a lot of it.” Ford, speaking to reporters after delivering a speech to the Cambridge Club, a fitness centre, did not put a time frame on his marijuana use. Earlier in the day, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne told reporters she had used marijuana infrequently, but not in at least 35 years. “It’s never been a big part of my life,” said the 60-year-old premier. Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath have both previously said they have used pot. Politicians around the country have been asked about their use of the drug ever since Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau admitted last week that he smoked pot about three years ago, while he was a member of Parliament. Trudeau wants to legalize marijuana. Ford’s past troubles with drugs and alcohol are well-documented. After being pulled over by police in Florida in 1999, he was charged with marijuana possession and failing to provide a breath sample. Ford pleaded no contest, in absentia, to the DUI, was ordered to pay a $664 US fine and completed 50 hours of community service by coaching high school football. “They pulled me over,” Ford told the Toronto Sun in 2010. “I was with my wife. They found one joint in my back pocket.”