Elton John says legalizing marijuana is 'one of the greatest mistakes of all time'

Elton John has been sober since 1990 — and he thinks a recent policy shift might lead more people down the path to addiction.

The "Rocket Man" singer denounced the legalization of recreational marijuana during his TIME Icon of the Year profile. "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,” John said. "Legalizing marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time."

Marijuana is currently legal in 25 U.S. states, and federally legal in Canada. Other countries, including Mexico, South Africa, and Germany, have legalized marijuana in the last decade. In its information page on cannabis, the CDC notes that experts disagree on whether it lives up to its long-held reputation as a "gateway drug" that leads to further addiction. However, the health agency also reports that "people who use cannabis and do go on to use other drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) may have a higher risk of dependence or addiction to those drugs."

John reiterated that his own use of drugs had disastrous effects on his personal life. "You make terrible decisions on drugs," he explained. "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 musician noted that clouded judgment from intoxication makes it difficult for addicts to own their bad behavior. "It’s tough to tell someone that they’re being an a--hole, and it’s tough to hear," John said. "Eventually I made the choice to admit that I’m being an a--hole." 

John attributes three forces in his life as his primary motivations for getting sober: Alcoholics Anonymous, purchasing the football club Watford FC, and an HIV-positive Indianan teenager named Ryan White. "It all came to a climax, really, at the Ryan White funeral in Indianapolis — a really sad and emotional week — and I came back to the hotel thinking I’m just so out of line," the singer said. "It was a shock to see how far down the scale of humanity I’d fallen."

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John also said that his journey to sobriety has felt spiritually significant. "I don’t really believe in the biblical God too much, but I have faith," he explained. "My higher power has been looking after me all my life; he’s got me through drugs, he’s got me through depression, he’s got me through loneliness, and he got me sober. He’s been there all the time, I think. I just didn’t acknowledge him."

Elsewhere in the profile, the "Candle in the Wind" singer noted his disdain for appearing on camera. "Music videos should be made by good-looking people like Harry Styles,” he said. "I’m not very good at looking at myself. I don’t think you ever lose that body consciousness. I just think it stays with you forever. But I am much better.” 

Despite his camera shyness, John is the subject of a new documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late. The film premieres on Disney+ on Friday.

John also penned a tribute to Chappell Roan as part of Entertainment Weekly's 2024 Entertainers of the Year. "It’s thrilling to witness the start of what promises to be a truly remarkable career," he wrote. "I have no doubt she will continue to inspire, challenge, and bring joy to audiences around the world." Read John's full salute to Roan here.