When Elton John talks about addiction, it’s not just another celebrity soundbite. This is a man who’s lived through the absolute worst of rock and roll excess and emerged not just alive, but triumphant.
The Cocaine Chronicles
Remember the 1970s LA music scene? Imagine a world so saturated with drugs that you’d need to be monumentally wasted to actually stand out. John recalls, “It took a fairly Herculean effort to get yourself noticed for taking too much cocaine”—and he was apparently an Olympic-level performer in that department.
His memoir “Me” reads like a cautionary tale that would make most people’s hair stand on end. Hijacking Rolling Stones shows? Mistaking Bob Dylan for his gardener? These aren’t just stories—they’re stark warnings about where addiction can take you.
Marijuana: Not Just a Harmless Plant
Speaking to TIME Magazine, John doesn’t mince words about marijuana legalisation. “I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs,” he declares. For him, legalising pot in America and Canada isn’t progressive—it’s potentially devastating.
In 1990, John made the most important decision of his life—taking a full year off to battle his demons. “I hated myself so much. I was consumed with shame,” he admitted. But here’s the thing about legends: they don’t just survive, they transform.
This isn’t just about Elton John. He’s become a lifeline for other musicians struggling with addiction—sponsoring Eminem, helping Robin Williams enter rehab, attending meetings in languages he doesn’t even speak. Talk about commitment.
“I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs. And when you’re stoned—and I’ve been stoned—you don’t think normally. Legalising marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”
The Uncomfortable Truth About “Normal” Substances
With his husband David Furnish backing him up, John highlights something we all know but often ignore: alcohol might be legal, but it’s far from safe. It’s a system-wide problem, not just about one substance.
Thirty-four years sober, John’s Instagram post featuring an AA coin with “To thine own self be true” is more than a caption. It’s a manifesto. His life is living proof that recovery isn’t just possible—it’s powerful.
The Real-World Impact
This isn’t academic pontificating. John understands how substances crush dreams. He’s seen how drugs can derail careers, destroy relationships, and rob incredibly talented people of their potential.
Elton John’s message is straightforward: Drugs aren’t a solution. They’re a trap. And sometimes, it takes someone who’s been through the absolute worst to make us sit up and listen. John stands as a beacon—proof that there’s a life far more exciting, far more meaningful on the other side of addiction. And trust us, it’s a hell of a lot more rock and roll than being perpetually wasted.
Sources
Elton John thinks legalising weed was “one of the greatest mistakes of all time”
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