Michael Gove's admission he took cocaine "on several occasions" should not prevent him from running to be the next prime minister, a leadership rival says.
The Environment Secretary said he "deeply regrets" using the drug 20 years ago and acknowledged it was "a mistake".
Fellow Tory leadership contender Dominic Raab said he admires Gove's honesty.
"I certainly don't see it barring him from this race in any way," he said.
Michael Gove arrives at Downing Street. London. Source: AAP
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was unconcerned about Michael Gove's past life or behaviour.
But other MPs pushed for Gove to campaign for reform and the potential decriminalisation of some drugs.
Tory former prisons minister Crispin Blunt said Gove's drug use "whilst illegal, was wholly unexceptional" and he should have acknowledged the need for reform of the law.
"The time has come for all serious politicians to engage with the debate around these issues," said Mr Blunt, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for drug policy reform.
"Sadly Michael - like others before him - has delivered a politically crafted and deeply unconvincing handwringing statement of regret for committing a victimless crime. The victims have largely been created by policy and the law.
"As a leadership candidate he should have used the opportunity of his own confession to join a vital and urgent policy debate."
Green MP Caroline Lucas said it was "rank hypocrisy" to admit to mistakes while "backing policies that perpetuate harm".
"From locking up disproportionate number of young, black men, to treating drug misuse as crime rather than health issue, prohibition fails us all," she tweeted.
A number of contenders in the leadership race have admitted to varying degrees of drug use.
Rory Stewart apologised for smoking opium at a wedding in Iran, while Jeremy Hunt said he consumed a cannabis lassi while backpacking in India.
Mr Raab said he had taken cannabis as a student but had "never taken cocaine or any class A drugs".
Andrea Leadsom told the Independent that she "smoked weed at university and have never smoked it again since".
Gove told the Daily Mail: "I took drugs on several occasions at social events more than 20 years ago.
"At the time I was a young journalist. It was a mistake. I look back and think 'I wish I hadn't done that'.
"It was 20 years ago and yes, it was a mistake. But I don't believe that past mistakes disqualify you."
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