New Zealand’s ruling party leader Jacinda Ardern said she tried cannabis “a long time ago” when asked during a heated live debate on Wednesday ahead of the Oct 17 general election.
Ardern, 40, is widely seen winning a second term in office on the back of her success in containing COVID-19 but her rival, conservative National Party leader Judith Collins, has been clawing back support.
New Zealanders are also voting on two other issues – on legalizing recreational cannabis and euthanasia – topics that have split opinions in the country.
In the second election debate on Wednesday, when asked by the moderator if she has ever used cannabis, Ardern said: “Yes I did, a long time ago.”
But she said she will only reveal which way she voted on the cannabis referendum after the election.
“I made a clear decision that I want the public of New Zealand to decide this and I want this not to be about politics,” she said.
Collins, however, said she has never used cannabis and would…