Elton John Speaks Out: Legalizing Cannabis is a Grave Mistake

[Social Media]

 

Sir Elton John, the legendary 77-year-old musician who has profoundly influenced music and culture, has voiced strong opposition to the legalization of marijuana in parts of North America. Reflecting on his own experiences and decades of sobriety, he called the move “one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”  

 

The artist, recently named Time magazine’s Icon of the Year, shared his perspective during an interview. He described marijuana as “addictive” and warned that it often leads users toward other, more dangerous substances. “When you’re stoned – and I’ve been stoned – you don’t think normally,” he admitted.  

 

The legalization of marijuana has gained traction in countries like Canada, where the drug is available legally to individuals aged 18 and over, with certain restrictions. Similarly, several U.S. states, including California, allow adults aged 21 and older to use the drug recreationally under regulated conditions. However, Sir Elton believes these measures overlook the broader dangers of the substance.  

 

In a candid moment, Sir Elton recalled how his own use of marijuana caused serious health issues. During a 1999 interview with Sir David Frost, he revealed that the throat problems he suffered in the 1980s while touring in Australia were a direct result of marijuana use. At the urging of his doctors, he gave up the drug, a decision that undoubtedly contributed to his decades of sobriety.  

 

Sir Elton’s journey toward helping others recover from addiction is equally notable. His own recovery, which spans 34 years, has enabled him to guide fellow celebrities like Eminem and Robbie Williams through their battles with substance abuse. This commitment to advocacy, combined with his remarkable achievements, has cemented his legacy as an artist and humanitarian.  

 

Aside from his views on cannabis, Sir Elton touched on his notoriously fiery temperament. Known for his short fuse, he joked that his husband, David Furnish, often has to handle his outbursts. “If I’m tired, if I’m exhausted, if I’m overwhelmed, I can snap,” he admitted. A moment of frustration was captured in the 1990s documentary *Tantrums and Tiaras*, filmed by Furnish, which showcased Sir Elton nearly abandoning a video shoot due to late wardrobe arrivals. However, he also credited this temperament for his creative brilliance, noting that his temper often helps him channel his energy into songwriting. “If I get a lyric and look at it, the song comes straight out,” he explained.  

 

As Sir Elton’s performing career winds down, he remains a towering figure in music. His final North American concert at Dodger Stadium, documented in the upcoming film *Elton John: Never Too Late*, marked the end of an era. The show was part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, a 330-date extravaganza that concluded with an emotional performance in Stockholm, Sweden.  

 

Sir Elton’s farewell to the stage coincides with his achievement of EGOT status—winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony—a rare and coveted honor. However, the summer also brought health challenges, as he revealed an infection temporarily affected the vision in his right eye.  

 

Despite these challenges, Sir Elton’s influence remains undiminished. His warnings about cannabis legalization, paired with his steadfast commitment to helping others overcome addiction, reflect a legacy far beyond his music. For Sir Elton John, speaking out on matters close to his heart is just another way to leave a lasting impact.

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2024-12-13

 

 

 

[Cryingdick]

He is more of a poppers type of guy.

[daveAustin]

Gawd, the ‘sir’ has spoken! Your debauched experiences are your own. Not everyone has an addictive nature. Legalising weed is one of the ballsiest things a government can do, ruffling the feathers of the dinosaur electorate and potentially affecting revenues from alcohol duty. On that score, ‘sir’, if you really want to make a difference, speak up about alcohol. That is the real problem!

[pacovl46]

I'm sorry, but just because you couldn't get your head out of the coke trough for a couple of decades doesn't mean that cannabis is bad for everyone! 

 

Cannabis will be consumed whether it's legal or not. Making it legal was the only way that made sense! 

[Thingamabob]

Personally I couldn't care less about Elton John's views, on any subject.

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, Thingamabob said:

Personally I couldn't care less about Elton John's views, on any subject.

 

 

Yet you care enough to make a comment...................let it slide, he is entitled to his opinion.

[Thingamabob]

11 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Yet you care enough to make a comment...................let it slide, he is entitled to his opinion.

Have a nice day.

[RichardColeman]

Hear the guy is blind now - must be an epic stevie wonder Elton john tour about to be announced

[BarBoy]

3 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

He is more of a poppers type of guy.

liquid gold all the way for that pole greaser! 

[Briggsy]

Here is my experience. Society must make laws according to my regrets over my mistakes.

 

That is not how it works, Elton.

 

Big decisions require a holistic view and built-in safeguards.

[The Old Bull]

Haven't smelt a whiff of weed on the breeze since they made it legal in Canada. Young people like to rebel but since smoking weed is legal it is no longer a form of rebellion so is less popular. You know where you are at with booze but weed is sneaky stuff you don't realize how stoned you are till you get up to walk across the room.

[Pouatchee]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Personally I couldn't care less about Elton John's views, on any subject.

 

Totally agree. However, when stars become the voice of reason we are in trouble. I am glad Taylor swift looks like an idiot after the trump victory. many news outlets and vocal stars predicted that swift's endorsement would change the tides. hahahaha

 

Elton John? Who gives a crap

[wombat]

9 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

Elton John? Who gives a crap

Seconded

[JonnyF]

Another celebrity who thinks he is an authority and a source of great wisdom on various subjects.

[spidermike007]

He could not possibly be more wrong. It rarely serves as a gateway drug. That is a meme that the fake purists use often. Alcohol is infinitely more dangerous and addictive. 

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

Cannabis will be consumed whether it's legal or not. Making it legal was the only way that made sense!

 

That has to be the most dumb excuse ever.

Rape is also illegal but people do it. Would you therefore make rape legal?

[Cryingdick]

1 minute ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

That has to be the most dumb excuse ever.

Rape is also illegal but people do it. Would you therefore make rape legal?

That's a pretty dumb argument. 

[quake]

One more rich guy.

Who was a junkie and alcoholic, telling people what to do.

Up your, rocket man,  Elton. 

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

14 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

That's a pretty dumb argument. 

Well spotted.

It is the only response to a dumb statement.

[bendejo]

Yet another retired popstar warning of the evils of the world. 

Put it this way -- his audience isn't the kids, it the middle-aged parents.

 

Long live Keith Richard, he'd never make a speech like that, unless a court ordered him to.  He'll die with a needle in his arm.

 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Yet you care enough to make a comment...................let it slide, he is entitled to his opinion.

Plus he is speaking from the experience of decades.

[CallumWK]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Another celebrity who thinks he is an authority and a source of great wisdom on various subjects.

 

Should fit in well on AN, because the forum is full of those

[Globalres]

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

Plus he is speaking from the experience of decades.

Yes, his personal experience.  Many others can handle it well.  Same as alcohol.

Should  substances be deemed illegal because some people can’t handle it?  
On the other hand, how far do we go in protecting each and everyone?  We have alcohol and cannabis on the one hand and heavier drugs on the other.  When is it a nanny state and when is it acceptable to all?  Where and WHO draws the line?  Who judges the judges? 

[pacovl46]

8 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

That has to be the most dumb excuse ever.

Rape is also illegal but people do it. Would you therefore make rape legal?

You didn't get it! The only way that makes sense when it comes to drugs is legalization or at the very least decriminalization. 

 

How much tax money do countries spend annually on the war against drugs they can't win? Drugs are everywhere and it's criminals that make huge amounts of money with them. We also don't know exactly how many people take any given drug in which amounts and what diseases might spread amongst them. All we have is guesstimates. Then there's the fact that in the case of hard drugs, addicts will fairly quickly reach the point where they can't finance their addiction with their income anymore. So now they have to resort to criminal activities themselves to feed the monkey, which results in a overwhelmed court system and overcrowded prisons. There's also lots of gang activities going on because they fight over turf.

 

If governments were to produce the drugs, tax them and sell them through pharmacies at a much cheaper price and much better quality than ghe gangs, no one would buy the expensive cut-up sh.t on the streets anymore. Hence the gangs would have no turf to fight over anymore because they'd lose their customer base pretty much over night. This reduces overall criminal activity and if they sold it at a price so cheap that people could afford it with their income and still make ends meet, addicts wouldn't have to resort to criminal activities either. Pair that with an anonymous form where they have to state their gender, age group, drug of choice and amount and an annual anonymous health check, then you'd have real numbers after a year instead of guesstimates. Plus, the government could save a sh.tload of money that they are wasting on the war against drugs they cant win, instead they'd have tax income, which could then be spent on large scale anti-drug campaigns in every classroom of every school once a year. Make those as disgusting as possible, you know, take a speed freak with no teeth in there, an alcoholic who's totally effed up and a heroin addict with track marks all over who hasn't had a shower in a couple of months who lives on the street and show them what that stuff really does to you, instead of the little speeches and a few pictures they're using now. 

 

In the end there will always be people who want to take drugs and as long as there's money to be made there will always be people willing to satisfy that demand and making it illegal won't change that one bit! All it does is create a black market and all the negative sh.t that comes with it.

 

Legalization/decriminalization is definitely the lesser of the two evils! 

 

Lastly, as long as alcohol and cigarettes are legal, by the way, booze does more damage to an addict and their social environment than any other drug, I don't see why weed should be illegal., and gateway drug number one is booze! 

 

 

 

[wombat]

13 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

gateway drug number one is booze! 

The hardest thing I have ever done was withdraw from nicotine 

[quake]

4 minutes ago, wombat said:

The hardest thing I have ever done was withdraw from nicotine 

 

Yes very hard indeed, had 3 attempts, got it on the 4,  27 years now. ( was a 40 a day Marlboro habit )

 

[pacovl46]

13 hours ago, wombat said:

The hardest thing I have ever done was withdraw from nicotine 

Then you've been doing it the wrong way. Giving up smoking can be very easy, at least from my own experience. Alan Carr's method works like a charm. All it takes is about 3 weeks until the first day comes around when you don't think about smoking all day long and those 3 weeks were nowhere nearly as bad as I was making it out to be in my head beforehand. The most difficult thing about quitting is to set a point in time on which you're gonna stops. Once you've done that you're already halfway there. 

[ericthai]

On 12/12/2024 at 9:18 PM, Tropicalevo said:

 

That has to be the most dumb excuse ever.

Rape is also illegal but people do it. Would you therefore make rape legal?

you cant compare a vicious crime like rape against a plant that grows naturally. 

 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

On 12/13/2024 at 9:01 AM, spidermike007 said:

He could not possibly be more wrong. It rarely serves as a gateway drug. That is a meme that the fake purists use often. Alcohol is infinitely more dangerous and addictive. 

Agreed. 

It was a gateway drug only when illegal. 

Totally harmless, unless recovering from other substances. 

[Neeranam]

16 hours ago, wombat said:

The hardest thing I have ever done was withdraw from nicotine 

Nowhere near as bad a Benzos or methadone.