A candidate for lieutenant governor said today that he does not support the legalization of cocaine and heroin, clarifying statements in which he cited public health and social justice concerns in an unusual argument for Massachusetts to treat hard drugs more like marijuana.

However, Cheung said, he believes "that it is our moral imperative to reform our Commonwealth's criminal justice system."

"As Lieutenant Governor, I will call for further reforms to sentencing requirements for non-violent drug offenders to dismantle the prison pipeline while getting addicts the help they need," he added in a statement.