Fans won’t find Elton John supporting the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. and Canada anytime soon.
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During a recent interview with TIME after being named the magazine’s 2024 Icon of the Year, John cited his prior struggles with addiction for his strong outlook against the present-day controversial issue of legalizing marijuana.
“I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs,” John expressed. “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 continued on to detail some of the poor decisions he made while under the influence, including taking “hostages” when it came to relationships. “You make terrible decisions on drugs,” he shared. “Before 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.”
While his addiction took a toll on many relationships, his personal experience overcoming it has allowed him to connect with and help fellow artists who have found themselves in the vicious cycle. They include Eminem and Robbie Williams.
“It’s tough to tell someone that they’re being an a**hole, and it’s tough to hear,” John said, reflecting on when he made the decision to sober up. “Eventually I made the choice to admit that I’m being an a**hole.”