They Inhaled

[Ganjarden]

All three Democrats seeking to become Manhattan’s next DA experimented with marijuana in their youth, and one is strongly calling for a serious study investigating whether marijuana should be decriminalized, the DN's Michael Saul reports.

“I’m fully supportive of a really well-informed debate about this topic,” said Manhattan DA hopeful Richard Aborn this morning following a candidates’ debate.

“I think that’s critical to do,” Aborn said. “We are failing in the war on drugs. There is no question about that. We are tying up the criminal courts with low-level drug offenders. There’s no question about that. We need to examine this policy. Marijuana was made illegal, I think, in ‘31 or ‘32, it’s time to take a look at it again.”

Aborn, Leslie Crocker Snyder and Cy Vance Jr. all agree marijuana should be legalized for medical use. (A bill to do so has been pending in Albany for several years now).

On legalizing marijuana in general, Snyder at first said she was opposed during a debate sponsored yesterday by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, saying: “I’m not in favor of (decriminalizing), no.”

After Vance said he’d support “further study,” on the issue, echoing Aborn, Snyder clarified her response.

“Well, no and further study,” she said.

As for the candidate’s own experimentation with marijuana, all of them pleaded guilty.

Aborn is quoted in New York magazine this week saying: “Yes, I’ve used a bong.”

His campaign spokeswoman confirmed today that Aborn last used marijuana in college.

A spokesman for Snyder said, “She experimented with marijuana in college more than 45 years ago and has not since.”

A spokeswoman for Vance said: “Like many of his generation, Cy tried marijuana in high school and found it wasn't for him.”



News Hawk- Ganjarden http://www.420Magazine.com
Source: Daily News
Author: Elizabeth Benjamin
Contact: Daily News
Copyright: 2009 Daily News, L.P.
Website: They Inhaled