Lawyer announces Ford has abused substances and will seek help as newspaper describes new video of crack cocaine use

Rob Ford, the Toronto mayor, has announced he is taking a leave of absence to get help for substance abuse, while a newspaper says it has viewed another video of him smoking crack cocaine.



Ford's lawyer, Dennis Morris, said he spoke to Ford on Wednesday. "He acknowledges he has a substance abuse problem and he wants to do something about it," Morris said.

The Globe and Mail newspaper reported on Wednesday that it had viewed a new video of Ford smoking what was described as crack cocaine by a self-professed drug dealer. The video was secretly filmed in Ford's sister's basement early on Saturday morning, the newspaper said.

Ford, who is campaigning for re-election, acknowledged in 2013 after months of denials that he smoked crack in a "drunken stupor" after police said they had a video showing him smoking crack. The video has never been released to the public. Later, on his own television show, Ford denied having a substance abuse problem.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Rob Ford's denials and admissions of crack cocaine use

News reports of the crack video's existence first surfaced in May 2013, igniting a media firestorm around Ford. He lurched from one scandal to another, becoming a national embarrassment for many Canadians. A Toronto Sun columnist told CP24 television that the paper obtained an audio recording of Ford making offensive remarks about other politicians at a bar.

Ford has refused to resign, despite mounting pressure after a string of incidents, from public drunkenness to appearing in another video that showed him threatening murder in an incoherent rant. Toronto's city council has stripped him of most of his powers.

Ford said in 2013 that he gave up alcohol after having a "come to Jesus moment" but later acknowledged that he was drinking again. Recordings of the mayor intoxicated have surfaced since.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

