Lighthearted comments by French President during a visit to a neighborhood in Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, on October 27, were interpreted in reports as a joke about marijuana.

During a visit to the Creek neighborhood, which came as part of a 48-hour visit to the overseas French region, Macron met and spoke with locals.

At one point, he said, “There’s someone here who is not speaking cigarettes.” The remark was taken as a joke by those around Macron; he added, “I still have a nose.”

Macron then said, “That will not help you with your schoolwork,” and that this should be told to the youngest person there.

Macron’s comments from 2’25" in this footage. Credit: Emmanuel Macron via Storyful