Elton John Says Legalizing Weed Is 'One of the Greatest Mistakes'

Elton John made a bold declaration about the country’s weed policies.

The music legend shared his stance during a recent interview with TIME magazine, saying “legalizing marijuana in America and Canada [was] one of the greatest mistakes of all time.” John, who is now sober after a decades-long battle with substance and alcohol abuse, maintained that marijuana was an “addictive” gateway drug.

“It leads to other drugs. And when you’re stoned — and I’ve been stoned — you don’t think normally,” said John, who TIME named “Icon of the Year.”

Marijuana use is still illegal on the federal level; however, about two dozen states have passed legislation permitting its sale for recreational use.

John told TIME that his struggles with addiction shaped his views on cannabis and other mind-altering drugs. He recalled his first experience with cocaine, which led him down a road of “terrible decisions,” specifically when it came to relationships.

“I wanted love so badly, I’d just take hostages,” he said. “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… It’s tough to tell someone that they’re being an asshole, and it’s tough to hear. Eventually I made the choice to admit that I’m being an asshole.”

Since going sober in the 1990s, John has tried to help others kick their addictions. According to TIME, the five-time Grammy winner helped Robbie Williams through his first rehab stint and became Eminem’s Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsor.

Em spoke about his sobriety journey in a 2009 interview with The Guardian, explaining why John was one of the first people he reached out to. 

“When I first wanted to get sober, I called [Elton] and spoke to him about it,” Eminem said. “He’s somebody who’s in the business and can identify and relate to the lifestyle and how hectic things can be. He understands… the pressure and any other reasons that you want to come up with for doing drugs.”