HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter says he smoked marijuana in university but too much is being made of the issue since federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau called for the legalization of pot.
Dexter said Thursday he tried marijuana as a university student.
"Like every other person I knew back in the '70s when I went to university, some of whom are actually in this room, I would have tried it, the same as other people at that time," he said.
Dexter said he will leave it up to the federal government to worry about whether marijuana should be legalized because there are more important things for the provincial government to be concerned about, such as federal health-care funding and caps on immigration to the province.
The debate over the country's marijuana laws was reignited after Trudeau admitted earlier this month that he smoked pot three years ago when he was an MP. He said he hasn't lit up since, but he believes marijuana should be legalized and regulated.
Dexter called the debate over marijuana use by politicians a distraction.
"I know it's a titillating little thing for reporters and stuff but, you know, really, there's some pretty serious issues out there that, I think, deserve more commentary than that," he added.
