[h=1]Sweden's justice chief left high and dry over spoof marijuana deaths story[/h]Ruling Conservative's Beatrice Ask posts spoof article on Colorado marijuana overdoses to support anti-drug claims
- Associated Press in Stockholm
- theguardian.com, Tuesday 7 January 2014 12.06 EST
Customers line up at a store selling marijuana in Pueblo West, Colorado. Contrary to belief inside the Swedish government, 37 people did not die in the state on the very day marijuana became legal. Photograph: John Wark/AP
Sweden's justice minister is facing ridicule for posting a spoof article about marijuana-linked deaths on her Facebook page along with comments about her zero-tolerance against drugs.
Beatrice Ask of Sweden's ruling Conservative party posted a link to
the Daily Currant's satire article, which jokingly and erroneously claimed that marijuana overdoses killed 37 people in
Colorado on the first day of legalisation.
Above the link she wrote: "Stupid and sad. My first bill in the youth wing was called Outfight the Drugs! In this matter I haven't changed opinion at all."
The comment quickly spread in
social media, triggering widespread criticism.
Ask's press officer Per Clareus said the minister was aware the article was fake and was trying to criticise the website for joking about such a serious matter, but was misunderstood