Toronto Mayor Rob Ford announced Wednesday he is taking a leave of absence from his re-election campaign to receive treatment for alcohol abuse.
The Canadian mayor's announcement comes the same day news broke that the mayor was allegedly caught on video smoking crack cocaine. This is the second time a video reported to be the mayor using drugs has surfaced.
"Today, after taking some time to think about my own well-being, how best to serve the people of Toronto and what is in the best interests of my family, I have decided to take a leave from campaigning and from my duties as mayor to seek immediate help," Ford said in a statement obtained by CNN.
"It's not easy to be vulnerable and this is one of the most difficult times in my life," Ford said. "I have a problem with alcohol, and the choices I have made while under the influence. I have struggled with this for some time."
In the video, reported by the Toronto Globe and Mail, is said to show Ford in his sister's basement smoking crack cocaine from a pipe. The paper did not confirm exactly what Ford was allegedly smoking.
A drug dealer told the Globe and Mail the video belongs to "a package of three videos that the drug dealer says he surreptitiously shot around 1:15 a.m.," on Saturday, the newspaper reported.
This is not the first time Ford has been embroiled in a drug-use scandal. A video recorded on a cell phone that surfaced in May of last year allegedly showed the mayor smoking crack cocaine. Ford vehemently denied he was using drugs and ignored calls to resign from his position.
The city council removed most of Ford's mayoral powers in November. Ford responded by declaring "war" on the council.
"If you think American-style politics is nasty, you guys have just attacked Kuwait," Ford previously said to the city council, CNN reported.
