Westminster on weed

In more news from across the pond, where some supposedly ultra-potent form of marijuana called skunk* is all the rage, the Tory candidate for Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, admits to having smoked marijuana and done cocaine when he was younger. At the end of the Guardian's article comes this bit:

Last year, virtually the entire cabinet admitted they had smoked cannabis after the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, revealed that she had experimented with it as a youngster.

Everyone from Hilary Benn to Lords leader Lady Ashton confessed to having dabbled with the drug.

The only minister who refused to comment at the time was the then-culture secretary, James Purnell.

* In actuality, high-grade marijuana has been around for a long time. Similarly to how different drinks have differing alcohol content, some marijuana is stronger than others. However, like with alcohol, users are well able to titrate their use and smoke more of the weaker stuff and less of the stronger stuff. Strong marijuana would seem to be a benefit, because you'd have to smoke less plant matter (not that it would matter) to get the same high.