David Paterson Admits Using Cocaine, Marijuana In His 20s

New York's new governor, who disclosed last week that he and his wife both committed adultery several years ago, said Monday that he used cocaine in his 20s and smoked marijuana when he was younger.

In reference to cocaine, Gov. David Paterson, 53, said in a television interview that he "tried it a couple of times" when he was "about 22 or 23."

"And marijuana probably when I was about 20," he said on the NY1 cable news station. "I don't think I touched marijuana since the '70s."

"More Americans have tried a lot more during that period of time and gone on to lead responsible lives and hopefully have lived their lives to their fullest," he said.

Keep reading here.

Read more about David Paterson here.

Read more about extramarital affairs that Paterson admitted to here.

Comments

[drumz]

05:27 PM on 03/25/2008

Cool, he's normal.

[rpence]

04:47 PM on 03/25/2008

Wake up and grow up, America. People with disabilities like to party and get laid, too.

[hoopesaz]

04:40 PM on 03/25/2008

If I remember right it was Bush who had the best response to this. Something to the effect of, "when I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible". And it's true. I wouldn't go nearly as far as some here and say "everybody does it, no big deal, didn't hurt him, doesn't hurt anyone"...I simply don't believe any of that. And it is news because he is governor a huge american state, it certainly shouldn't hurt him. If anything, not hiding it should help him in the long run. There's not much of a story if he tells the truth.

[WomanInOrangeSweater]

04:14 PM on 03/25/2008

I love this guy. He's like our own personal advent calendar. A fresh confession a day.
I can't help wondering if Sasha Baron Cohen is involved.

[robbor]

02:41 PM on 03/25/2008

so who isn't using mind altering substances in one form or another, legal or illegal, please stand up

[Xander]

02:35 PM on 03/25/2008

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I like this guy. He's human. He doesn't mind exposing his skeletons and SHOWING he's human. We as a society are too caught up in trying to demand our politicians be these beacons of moral superiority who have never done anything we consider "wrong", the bastions of perfection. And then we all act shocked and outraged when we realize that they aren't. Honestly, I'd rather have people in government who have been around the block a time or two, not someone who's lived in a bubble their whole life.

[gofreeman]

01:41 PM on 03/25/2008

You people are all so blase about drugs. Well what about this. Our new governor has tens of thousands of people behind bars doing millions of years for selling him those drugs. Still funny?

[LadyAva]

01:27 PM on 03/25/2008

I have a lot of respect for this man. He's just laying it all out there, so when the media decides to go after him, there's nothing in his closet. I wish more politicians were even as remotely honest as him...I'm not saying Gov. Patterson is perfect, but he's more honest than most...
Govenor Patterson, you've shown us you're human. Your personal life should be just that...Now go do your job and do it well...

[RossalGondamer]

01:04 PM on 03/25/2008

Spitzers removal was the first step toward a Bloomberg Governorship.

[Nutcase]

12:42 PM on 03/25/2008

Wow! Where can I find other important news? Or, is there any?

Je pense, donc je suis populiste.

[TheoD]

11:44 AM on 03/25/2008

The main reason this is important is that the state of New York has VERY harsh mandatory-sentencing drug laws implemented by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in the 1970s when he was trying to look tough enough to be an appealing Pres. candidate. More than 30 years on, the state has an outrageous number of people in jail for petty drug violations. And now the Gov. effectively admits he flouted drug laws that snared a lot of people. If he IS NOT a complete hypocrite he'll quickly rework those laws and make them sane and fair. Time will tell.

[marsgeek]

11:36 AM on 03/25/2008

These Puritanical Standards we hold politician to are absurd.

[marsgeek]

11:28 AM on 03/25/2008

I think this is a very smart move.

[Whitehouse]

11:06 AM on 03/25/2008

This is not an issue. Stop trying to manufacture outrage.

[KYJurisDoctor]

10:08 AM on 03/25/2008

Keep them coming, Gov.!