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UK singer Elton John says marijuana legalisation in US & Canada one of 'greatest mistakes of all time'

This year marks the musician's 34th year of sobriety.

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December 16, 2024, 05:30 PM

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In an interview with TIME Magazine, British singer-songwriter Elton John declared his stance on the legalisation of marijuana in America and Canada.

The 77-year-old musician, who was named TIME's 2024 Icon of the Year, has been sober for 34 years.

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Opening up about his past drug addiction, John told the magazine he initially turned to drugs as a means of coping with his overwhelming shyness.

Eventually, however, drugs seized the wheel.

"You make terrible decisions on drugs [...] 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."

The quality of John's music deteriorated as his addiction worsened, and the singer eventually resolved to break his destructive patterns.

Since then, John has helped free many others from the grips of addiction. These include American rapper Eminem, whom he sponsors, as well as English singer Robbie Williams, who first entered rehabilitation at John's encouragement.

Having witnessed the struggles of other addicts, and having experienced these firsthand, the musician began to question the merit of marijuana legalisation.

"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."

In Canada, cannabis is legal for both recreational and medicinal use. 38 states in America have legalised medicinal use of the drug, while recreational use is legal in only 24 states.

More about Elton John

John is the 19th performer to attain "EGOT" status -- that is, he has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

He has a hand in several songs from "The Lion King" soundtrack, such as "Hakuna Matata" and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", and is best known for his hits "Your Song" and "Rocket Man".

His 49th and final concert tour, "Farewell Yellow Brick Road", spanned five years across 330 shows, culminating in July last year.

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Apart from his musical contributions, John also leads an AIDS foundation and is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

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Top photos via TIME Magazine and Elton John's Instagram page.

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