In his autobiography “Me” and various interviews, Elton John has openly discussed his past struggles with addiction, detailing how his use of cocaine and alcohol in the ’70s and ’80s negatively affected his life and relationships. Having sought treatment, he’s been sober since 1990, becoming a vocal advocate for addiction recovery and turning his back on substances in such a way that has led him to view even marijuana as something that shouldn’t be messed with.
In a recent interview with Time magazine, John veered off from his “Icon of the Year” coverage to speak out against the legalization of weed in parts of the U.S. and Canada, calling it “one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”
“I maintain that it’s addictive,” he said. “It leads to other drugs. And when you’re stoned—and I’ve been stoned—you don’t think normally.”
Throughout the interview, John talks about efforts he’s made to help other artists struggling with addiction like Eminem, Robbie Williams and George Michael, who died of heart and liver disease in 2016 at the age of 53.
“It’s tough to tell someone that they’re being an a**hole, and it’s tough to hear,” John said of his time spent trying to help Michael sober up. “Eventually I made the choice to admit that I’m being an a**hole.”
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