Dozen MKs admit to past pot smoking

Only left-wing MKs admit to have tried marijuana; majority of ministers, MKs on the Right deny trying pot.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Marijuana leaf370 (photo credit: Reuters)
Marijuana leaf370
(photo credit: Reuters)
Opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich’s admission last week that she had smoked marijuana until 16 years ago led to a wave of MKs revealing Sunday that they had tried pot in the past.
The MKs who admitted Sunday that they had tried marijuana were Labor’s Avishay Braverman, Eitan Cabel, Miki Rosenthal, and Stav Shaffir; Meretz’s Ilan Gilon, Tamar Zandberg, and Michal Roisin; and Yesh Atid’s Pnina Tamnu-Shata, Yoel Razbozov, Adi Kol, and Yifat Kariv.
Cabel said he had tried pot as a student, but decided it was not for him. Kariv said she had tried marijuana on vacation in Jamaica, but did not like it and has not tried again since.
“Like many Israelis I tried smoking drugs in the past and there is no reason to hound those who did that,” Roisin said.
The overwhelming majority of ministers and MKs denied trying marijuana, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, Economy Minister Naftali Bennett and Finance Minister Yair Lapid, who has been accused by people who said they smoked pot with him 20 years ago. Labor MK Isaac Herzog, who is running against Yacimovich in the October 22 Labor primary, was especially critical of pot use.
“I don’t understand politicians who brag about breaking the law,” Herzog said.
No MKs on the Right would admit to trying marijuana. Even Likud MK Moshe Feiglin, who advocates for the legalization of marijuana use, said he has never tried pot himself.
MKs who refused to answer the question included Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelah and Hatnua’s Elazar Stern.
A dozen Knesset members could not be reached, so it is possible that the final total of those admitting to smoking pot will be larger.