Schwarzenegger: Marijuana's Not A Drug

Tells Magazine It's Just A Leaf; Spokesman Says Governor Was Joking

(AP)  California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says marijuana is not a drug, a British magazine reported Monday. But his spokesman said the governor was joking.

Schwarzenegger told the British edition of GQ magazine that he had not taken drugs, even though the former bodybuilder and Hollywood star has acknowledged using marijuana in the 1970s and was shown smoking a joint in the 1977 documentary "Pumping Iron."

"That is not a drug. It's a leaf," Schwarzenegger told GQ. "My drug was pumping iron, trust me."

Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger's press secretary, said the governor made the comments in a lighthearted context, noting his interviewer was Piers Morgan, one of the judges on "America's Got Talent." Morgan is a former British newspaper editor.

"The governor was doing an interview with the host of 'America's Got Talent,' the newest version of the gong show," McLear said. "I think it's important to keep that quote in the context of the environment where it was said."

"Of course the governor understands marijuana is a drug. It's like when he goes on Leno or the Daily Show, if you took something like that out of context, it might seem shocking but it was in a silly entertainment context," he added.

In the interview for the magazine's December issue, Schwarzenegger refused to condemn politicians who decline to answer questions about drug use.

"What would you rather have? A politician taking stuff and not saying, but making the best decisions and improving things? Or a politician who names all the drugs he or she has taken but makes lousy decisions for the country?" Schwarzenegger was quoted as saying.

"A politician's job is to do what's best for the people and to improve the country, the economy, the environment. Why should I care if a politician takes sleeping pills every night so long as he can do his job?" he added.

In the same interview, Schwarzenegger listed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who left office in June, as one of the greatest leaders in history, alongside former South African President Nelson Mandela, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan and ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Asked if he would include President George W. Bush on the list, Schwarzenegger - a Republican - said: "I would say that I was ... very fond of his father. I worked for President Bush Sr., and he was a great man."

"I think his son does some great things and there are some other things I don't agree with."

[mocalleo]

At least (R)nold was MAN ENOUGH to admit that he inhaled.

Unlike someone else (D) we all know.

.

Message to Mcvet:

If it''s OK for liberals to take a "dig" at Bush,
then it''s OK for conservatives to take a dig" at Clinton.

GET USED TO IT, swastika breath.
Seig Heil, Mcvet

PS.
Next time, take your meds before you get online.

LOL

[southerndove-2009]

My goodness "thefarrier", You sound like you are on your death bed with all that you are "sick of". Maybe you should be one of the many who should move to different country. Freedom is not Free and despite the causes of war and the rules we all have to or should live by it is the price we all pay for our Freedoms. Grow up or move out.

[usaprophet]

I don''t know about you, but I''m sick of no-win pseudo-wars, like The War on Drugs and The War on Terrorism. I''m sick of undeclared wars like The War in Iraq and unnecessary and protracted police actions like the one in Korea. I''m sick of income taxes, which are unconstitutional because they are are a direct tax and are not equally apportioned as the Constitution requires. I''m sick of back door national ID cards like The Real ID Act. I''m sick of warrantless domestic spying by the Department of Homeland Insecurity and the loss of my civil liberties as a result of Draconian, fear-based Laws with oxymoronic names like The Patrot Act. I''m sick of secret offshore prisons like the one in Guantanamo, where our government tortures prisoners, who have no right to redress of grievance, or to writ of habeus corpus. I''m also sick of the Federal Reserve (a secret group of private banks) manipulation of our worthless, fiat currency. Do yourself a favor. Support the 2008 candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul for President of The United States. I believe he''s our only hope to restore peace, prosperity and freedom in this country. Presidential candidates with the integrity and bearing the positive message of Dr. Paul only come around only once in a lifetime, if we''re lucky. The cause of freedom is too important to let anything stand in the way of our participation in this 21st Century political revolution.

[tucano2]

"Call it a bananna, if you want"

[bates2006-2009]

I can''t believe that the world is coming to something so small, we have crack, cocaine, and god only knows what other synthetic drugs out there and now everyone wants to speak against a good leader? How many of you didn''t smoke pot (leaf) when you were growing up? If you said you didn''t 99% of you lied. I did, I don''t anymore, but at least I''m honest enough to admit it, I''m a GREAT person a WONDERFUL mom and an even better WIFE. We all make decisions some not so wise, but it''s called experimenting, GROW UP AMERICA!
Julie

[klingon69]

Imagine all the druggies driving under the influence of marijuana. Don''''t we have enough problems with drivers under the influence of alcohol?
Posted by RingADing3 at 04:35 PM : Oct 29, 2007

Drivers under ther influence of alcohol feel that they can drive better and faster. Usually accidents occur at higher rates of speed under alcohol. Marijuana can/does make some people paranoid, and they tend to drive alot slower.

[mocalleo]

At least (R)nold was MAN ENOUGH to admit that he inhaled.

Unlike someone else (D) we all know.

.

Message to Mcvet:

If it''''s OK for liberals to take a "dig" at Bush,
then it''''s OK for conservatives to take a dig" at Clinton.

GET USED TO IT, swastika breath.
Seig Heil, Mcvet

PS.
Next time, take your meds before you get online.

LOL

[sgtrds]

He''s right...pot is not a drug....just a good buzz......

[rowdytexan2]

What a refreshing article...and a seemingly honest perspective.

I have to admit I haven''t followed his political career, but can''t help knowing he''s a politician, and can''t help wondering how badly a presidential campaign would corrupt him.

Can''t help saying either what eye candy he is. :)

[kansas1946]

Paul is given to mulling things over morally. He once was once a pious Lutheran, but now attends a Baptist church. He never travels alone with women, and once even dressed down an aide for using the expression "red-light district" in front of a female colleague.
**************************************
You have got to be frickin'' kidding. "In front of a femal colleague?????" Did he think this "female colleague" was going to swoon and need smelling salts if she heard the words, "red light district."
If I was luke warm on Ron Paul before, this little snippit leaves me ice cold.