New York City’s democratic mayoral primary is heating up, with Bill de Blasio trying to defend his seat atop the Big Apple from Staten Island lawyer and consummate political challenger Sal Albanese. Last night the two men faced off in a televised debate, touching on topics ranging from housing and the city’s homeless to the ethics of keeping or removing a Christopher Columbus statue from Midtown Manhattan. But it wasn’t until the question of cannabis came up that the verbal joust really took off.
According to the New York Daily News, years-old rumors of de Blasio’s toking tendencies came to a head when both candidates were asked whether they have ever and/or currently smoke marijuana. Albanese quickly confessed that he has never partaken, while de Blasio admitted to smoking “once or twice” while he was in college at NYU.
When it came to the question of present day participation, de Blasio decided it was the right time to poke fun the stresses of public office.
“Currently no…some days I wish I did,” de Blasio said with a laugh when asked if he still smokes.
But while de Blasio is perfectly happy to make jokes about marijuana’s stress relieving…