The son of former US vice president Al Gore was pulled over for speeding on a California freeway early today and arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis and prescription drugs, authorities said.
Al Gore III (24), was driving a blue Toyota Prius south on the San Diego Freeway at about 160 km/h when he was pulled over by sheriff's deputies who said they smelled cannabis, said Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.
The deputies searched the car and found less than an ounce (28 grams) of cannabis along with Xanax, Valium, Vicodin and Adderall, which is used for attention deficit disorder, Mr Amormino said.
"He does not have a prescription for any of those drugs," Mr Amormino added.
Mr Gore is being held in the men's central jail in Santa Ana on $20,000 bail.
Mr Gore was pulled over and arrested for cannabis possession in Bethesda, Maryland, in December 2003, while he was a student at Harvard University. He completed substance abuse counselling as part of a pre-trial diversion programme to settle those charges.
The youngest of Al and Tipper Gore's four children and their only son, Mr Gore lives in Los Angeles and is an associate publisher of Good, a magazine about philanthropy aimed at young people.
AP