CHAMPAIGN (AP) –The top elected Democrat in Cook County said Tuesday that former President Ronald Reagan deserved "a special place in hell" for his role in the war on drugs, asserting that misguided anti-drug policies were to blame for putting more minorities behind bars.

Hours later, under criticism from state Republicans, Toni Preckwinkle said she regretted what she referred to as an "inflammatory" remark but stood by her overall message on drug policy.

Preckwinkle, the Cook County board president, made the Reagan comment at a conference in central Illinois while defending Chicago's recent decision to allow police to ticket people for possession of small amounts of marijuana rather than arresting them.