Sir Elton John, newly named Time magazine’s Icon of the Year for 2024, has branded the legalization of marijuana in North America “one of the greatest mistakes of all time,” drawing from his own experiences with substance abuse.
“I maintain that it’s addictive,” the 77-year-old singer told Time. “It leads to other drugs. And when you’re stoned – and I’ve been stoned – you don’t think normally.” His comments come as more than 20 U.S. states have legalized recreational marijuana for adults, while Canada fully legalized cannabis for both recreational and medical use in 2018.
John, who has maintained sobriety since 1990, reflected candidly on his own past substance abuse. “You make terrible decisions on drugs,” he said. “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.”
The music legend’s Icon of the Year recognition has drawn praise from contemporary artists. Dua Lipa, his “Cold Heart” collaborator, told Time, “Singing alongside one of my musical heroes was a no-brainer. His music has been able to soundtrack my life from the very beginning.” Rising artist Chappell Roan described him as “one of the original queens,” sharing mentorship advice he provided about songwriting persistence.
While cannabis remains federally illegal in the United States, the Justice Department has recently proposed reclassifying it, even as John warns against its broader acceptance.
