A new Drugs Minister has admitted smoking cannabis.
Vernon Coaker said he had had "one or two puffs of marijuana" while a student at Warwick University.
The Home Office Minister, who was handed his new role on May 5, denied taking hard drugs.
He said: "When I was a student, I took one or two puffs of marijuana but that was it. I think it was once or twice."
Mr Coaker said he had not enjoyed the experience and decided not to do it again.
The MP for Gedling praised the efforts of drugs workers in Coventry during a visit to the city, his first official visit in his new role.
The Minister with responsibility for drugs policy was visiting the city as part of a nine-month nationwide tour to see how the Government's Drug Strategy is affecting communities.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "The Minister has been open about his experiences."
Mr Coaker's previous jobs include stints as parliamentary private secretary to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and to former Education Secretary Estelle Morris.
