Elton John opened up to Time magazine about his drug use and explained his personal view on marijuana, telling the magazine that the legalization of the plant is, as he stated, “the greatest mistake of all time.”
“I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs,” John told Time. “And when you’re stoned — and I’ve been stoned — you don’t think normally. Legalizing marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time” he said.
Elton John’s Journey On Recovery May Explain Why He Is Against Cannabis
“It’s tough to tell someone that they’re being an asshole, and it’s tough to hear,” John said. “Eventually I made the choice to admit that I’m being an asshole.”
Elton John struggled with addiction for many years, battling with both alcoholism and cocaine addiction. His addiction issues began in the 1970s, and he has been open about how they affected his personal and professional life. He has also spoken about his struggles with bulimia.
He sought help and entered rehab in 1990, which marked the beginning of his journey to sobriety.
“You make terrible decisions on drugs,” he continued. “I wanted love so badly, I’d just take hostages. I’d see someone I liked and spend three or four months together, and then they would resent me because they had nothing in their life apart from me. It really upsets me, thinking back on how many people I probably hurt.”
As of 2024, there are approximately 219 million cannabis users worldwide, although not everyone uses it for recreational purposes.
Cannabis is also used for medical purposes to alleviate symptoms of various conditions, such as chronic pain, nausea from chemotherapy, muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and certain mental health disorders like anxiety and PTSD.
Cannabis is legal for recreational use in 24 states and the District of Columbia in the United States. Additionally, 38 states have legalized cannabis for medical use.
In Canada, cannabis has been legal for both medical and recreational use nationwide since October 2018.
