Former garbo turned NSW premier Nathan Rees admits he smoked marijuana as a young bloke, but says it was never a habit.
In his first full day as leader of NSW, the 40-year-old was asked if he had smoked cannabis.
"Yes," said Mr Rees.
"Many years ago. It has never become a habit or anything like that."
He also denied ever having ever smelt marijuana on former Aboriginal affairs minister Milton Orkopoulos, his former boss.
Orkopoulos was sentenced in May this year to 14 years in jail for child sex and drug offences.
Mr Rees had said yesterday that like Orkopoulos' wife and family, he knew nothing of the former MP's secret life.
Mr Rees took over yesterday from Morris Iemma, who quit politics after his faction balked at his planned cabinet reshuffle.