Elton John Speaks Out Against the Legalization of Marijuana

Elton John attends the "Rocketman" UK premiere in London on May 20, 2019. Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

British pop-rock star Elton John has voiced opposition to the legalization of marijuana.

During a recent interview with Time magazine, published on Dec. 11, the “Rocket Man” singer, who has been open about his past struggles with substance abuse, said cannabis could serve as a gateway drug to addiction.

“I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs,” John, 77, said. “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.”

Canadian lawmakers fully legalized recreational marijuana use for adults in 2018 with the passage of the Cannabis Act.

In the United States, 24 states have legalized the medicinal and recreational use of cannabis, including California, Colorado, Nevada, and Massachusetts, according to the Pew Research Center. Hawaii, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania are among the 14 additional states that have legalized marijuana solely for medical purposes.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that approximately 1 in 10 cannabis users will develop an addiction to the drug. This rate increases to 1 in 6 for those who begin using marijuana before the age of 18.

Studies have also linked marijuana use to a variety of negative biological and psychological effects.

A 2014 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that short-term cannabis use can cause memory and coordination impairment. It can also alter sound judgment, leading to an increased risk of harmful sexual behaviors.

Among adolescents and young adults, chronic marijuana use can inhibit brain development and cognitive function, potentially causing a permanent decline in intelligence quotient or IQ.

A 2021 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Missouri Medicine indicates that marijuana use can also trigger “severe mental health problems,” such as depression, suicidal ideations, and psychotic episodes.

“You make terrible decisions on drugs,” John told Time, which named the performer its 2024 “Icon of the Year.”

“It really upsets me, thinking back on how many people I probably hurt.”

Road to Recovery

After trying cocaine for the first time in 1974, John went on to battle drug and alcohol addiction for almost 20 years.

“I was so ignorant about drugs and so naive. I mean, my band was smoking marijuana for years; I didn’t even know what a joint was,” the Grammy Award-winning singer told NPR in 2012, recalling his introduction to drugs.

“I‘d never seen a line of cocaine in my life, and I don’t know whether it’s bravado, or, ’OK, I‘ll join in,’ but, [in] my stupidity, I had a line of coke and that started the whole process.”

John said the death of his friend Ryan White—who died in April 1990 after contracting AIDS through a contaminated blood transfusion—proved to be a wake-up call. The loss prompted him to seek professional help for his addiction, and he checked into rehab three months later.

“After he died, I realized that I only had two choices: I was either going to die or I was going to live, and which one did I want to do?” John said. “And then I said those words, ‘I’ll get help,‘ or, ’I need help. I‘ll get help.’ And my life turned around.”

Elton John performs during the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 19, 2022. Erika Goldring/Getty Images

John elaborated on his journey to overcoming addiction in a 2019 op-ed for Variety.

“I had reached the lowest ebb in my life — the absolute bottom. I hated myself so much. I was consumed with shame. All I wanted to do was get well,” he penned.

“I put all of the energy I had left toward my recovery. For the first time in a very long time, I listened to others intently as I came to understand that I had so much to learn.”

John took a year-long hiatus from his career to prioritize his recovery. He likened finishing his drug rehabilitation treatment to being reborn.

“You are so stripped down and completely vulnerable. It’s like starting life over with a new rule book for living,” he wrote, noting that the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs emphasized living in the moment.

“If the universe meant for me to continue performing and creating new music, I knew it would happen when it was meant to happen. You learn to hand those things over to a power greater than yourself. You have to accept that you are no longer in charge of your life.”

In July 2023, John concluded more than 50 years on the road with his final tour, dubbed the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.”

Earlier this year, the “Candle In The Wind” singer took to Instagram to celebrate 34 years of sobriety.

“34 years clean and sober,” he shared on July 31. “My life has never been better.”