NEW YORK — Randy Moss acknowledges that marijuana use has been a part of his life. He simply maintains it isn’t now.

“It’s in the past,” the Oakland receiver said.

Moss spoke Thursday after the Raiders practiced in Houston, addressing an interview with HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” where he seemed to indicate that he still smokes marijuana occasionally.

“I have used, you know, marijuana … since I’ve been in the league,” Moss said in the interview, which is scheduled to air Tuesday night. “But as far as abusing it and, you know, letting it take control over me, I don’t do that, no.”

When pressed whether he still smokes marijuana, the star receiver with the checkered past said: “I might. I might have fun. And, you know, hopefully … I won’t get into any trouble by the NFL by saying that, you know. I have had fun throughout my years and, you know, predominantly in the offseason.

“But, you know, I don’t want any kids, you know, watching this taking a lesson from me as far as ‘Well, Randy Moss used it, so I’m going to use it.’ I don’t want that to get across. Like I say … I have used (marijuana) in the past. And every blue moon or every once in a while I might.”

When he spoke to the media after practice Thursday, Moss said he was talking about his activities during the early part of his NFL career, along with his high school and college careers.

“A lot of people are jumping to conclusions because they really don’t know the real story or haven’t even heard the real story yet,” he said. “That was really me talking in the past tense of way back in the beginning of my career and my childhood — especially in high school and college.”

Raiders coach Norv Turner said he would reserve comment until he had watched the program.