Justin Trudeau's pot stance sparks sharp words from Harper
Prime minister accuses Liberal leader of 'promoting marijuana use for our children'
The Canadian Press
Posted: Aug 29, 2013 2:58 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 29, 2013 8:41 PM ET
Justin Trudeau has done it. So, have Premiers Kathleen Wynne and Darryl Dexter.
Even Toronto mayor Rob Ford says he's smoked pot.
Almost everyone on the political scene seems to have tried it, at one point or another, except for Stephen Harper.
'Do I seem like I smoke marijuana?'—Prime Minister Stephen Harper
The prime minister chuckled during a media scrum Thursday when asked if he too is part of the parade of politicians who've come out recently to concede they've smoked marijuana.
He took the opportunity to hammer Trudeau and the federal Liberals on the issue, accusing them of promoting pot use among children at the expense of developing an economic policy.
"Do I seem like I smoke marijuana?" Harper asked in response to a reporter's question.
"Ya know never know," the journalist replied.
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Harper said his asthma precluded smoking.
"From a very young age, I have been an asthmatic and smoking anything has been out of the question since the time I was very small," he said during an event where he announced the introduction of legislation to better protect children against sexual exploitation.
The cavalcade of cannabis confessions was prompted by Trudeau's admission last week that he's smoked pot in the past, at least once since becoming an MP.
Since then, a bevy of other political leaders have joined the discussion, which has focused attention ona recent Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police proposal that marijuana possession be made a simple ticketing offence.
The association considers this would be more efficient than laying criminal charges, but it remains firmly opposed to decriminalization.
Harper said the government is studying the proposal very carefully.
Trudeau 'promoting marijuana use,' Harper says
Harper repeated his earlier criticism of Trudeau, saying the Liberal leader "displayed poor judgment" with his marijuana use.
"I look at the contrast with him promoting marijuana use for our children versus saying yesterday he will have no economic policy for several