Pubdate: Mon, 29 Oct 2007
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2007 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Cited: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger http://gov.ca.gov
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Schwarzenegger
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Marijuana - California)

GOV. SAYS POT IS NOT A DRUG, 'IT'S A LEAF'

LONDON -- 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," he 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 that 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." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake