Elton John Said Legalizing Marijuana Is ‘One of the Greatest Mistakes of All Time’

Singer Elton John recently said legalizing marijuana in parts of the United States was misguided because it leads to the use of harder drugs.

The 77-year-old EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) award winner expressed his thoughts during an interview with TIME magazine after being named the “2024 Icon of the Year.” John said he didn’t think cannabis should be legalized.

“I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs,” John told the outlet. “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.”

The outlet noted that John, who practices a sober lifestyle, has helped other famous artists who were experiencing addiction. He was rapper Eminem’s sponsor and helped pop star Robbie Williams get to his first rehab stint. The “Rocket Man” singer tried to help out singer George Michael with his addiction battle but was ultimately unsuccessful. 

“It’s tough to tell someone that they’re being an a**hole, and it’s tough to hear,” John said. “Eventually I made the choice to admit that I’m being an a**hole.”

The singer went on to discuss how he holds these views on marijuana because of his cocaine addiction, which began in the 1970s. 

“You make terrible decisions on drugs,” John 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.”

CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

John discussed the specifics of his addiction, including abusing alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine, during an interview with Piers Morgan in 2010.

“This is how bleak it was: I’d stay up, I’d smoke joints, I’d drink a bottle of Johnnie Walker and then I’d stay up for three days and then I’d go to sleep for a day and half, get up, and because I was so hungry, because I hadn’t eaten anything, I’d binge and have like three bacon sandwiches, a pot of ice cream and then I’d throw it up, because I became bulimic and then go and do the whole thing all over again,” the recording artist said.

“And I’m not being flippant when I say that, when I look back I shudder at the behavior and what I was doing to myself.”

John added that he would be “very close” to death during the height of his drug use. “I mean, I would have an epileptic seizure and turn blue, and people would find me on the floor and put me to bed, and then 40 minutes later I’d be snorting another line.”