Politics | Barack Obama Obama Drug Use Minimal: Old Friends Candor about teenage 'bad decisions' may have been overstated By Jane Yager Posted Feb 9, 2008 7:07 AM CST Copied Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., makes remarks during a news conference following a tour of the McKinstry Company, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (Associated Press) In his memoir Barack Obama makes a rare admission—for a politician—of “some bad decisions” as a teenager, of indulging in drinking and drugs before political activism led him out of apathy. But friends remember an already-focused Obama: an eloquent, poised young intellectual, active against South African apartheid and moderate in his lifestyle. "He was not even close to being a party animal," a college friend tells the New York Times. In a piece examining whether Obama might have overstated his coming-of-age challenges, college classmates say, "If someone passed him a joint, he would take a drag," but he never seemed to be grappling with drug problems. “As far as pot, booze or coke being a prevalent part of his life, I doubt it,” said a high school friend, who admits he pressured his classmate into drinking beer. Read These Next Home Improvement actor arrested for sixth time in 5 years. Car buyers appear to be getting fed up with soaring prices. America's most popular cooking oil is tied to weight gain. Dad was hailed as hero, but story of hiking rescue has now changed. Report an error