Drug Rehab for Al Gore's Son

United States former vice president Al Gore said yesterday his son was recieving treatment after being arrested for drug charges when police caught him speeding in his low emissions car.

"We’re glad that he’s safe and that he’s getting treatment and we’re going to leave it as a family matter," Gore said.

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies noticed Gore’s blue Toyota Prius going over 160km per hour on a California route early Wednesday, police said.

When they pulled him over, they smelled marijuana, searched the auto and allegedly found much of the drug and several additional addictive prescription medicines including Valium.

Sheriff’s section spokesman Jim Amormino said Gore's son did not have prescriptions for any of the drugs. He was released on $20,000 bail paid by his sister, media reported yesterday.

The arrest comes just days before Al Gore senior is due to take part in a worldwide serial of concerts to alter awareness of global warming, “Live Earth.”

The junior Gore, who lives in Los Angeles, has a record of drug and traffic violations. In 2003, he was charged with possession of marijuana in Maryland after police stopped him for driving without headlights on.