Music legend Elton John voiced strong opposition to the legalization of cannabis in the U.S., arguing that it is addictive and a gateway to more dangerous substances.

"I maintain that it's addictive. It leads to other drugs," said John, who was recently honored as TIME magazine's "Icon of the Year." Reflecting on his own experiences, he added, "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."

John, now 34 years sober, shared with TIME the turning point that led him to quit drugs and alcohol for good. While cocaine had been his drug of choice, his decision to change came after the death of a 13-year-old boy, marking a pivotal moment in his life.

Life-Changing Funeral Of Young AIDS Victim: 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," John told TIME. "It was a shock to see how far down the scale of humanity I'd fallen."

White was one of the first children to be stricken with AIDS. He was diagnosed at 13 in December 1984 after a blood transfusion and told he had six months to live. He died six years later in April 1990. During those years, Ryan gained national attention and became the face of public education about the disease that had especially devastated the homosexual community.

Shortly after Ryan's death, John checked into Chicago's Parkside Lutheran Hospital in July 1990 and remained sober ever since.

"You make terrible decisions on drugs," John said who stopped his touring in 2023. "It really upsets me, thinking back on how many people I probably hurt."

John credits White and his family with saving his life.

"I knew that my lifestyle was crazy and out of order. And six months later, I got sober and clean and have been ever since," John told PBS in 2022. "I cannot thank them enough, because without them, I'd probably be dead."

Throwing The Baby Out With The Bathwater?

John, like many who've gone off drugs and alcohol, often contends that it's all or nothing. In the singer's case, he said marijuana is a gateway drug, a controversial theory that has been debunked in scientific circles.

"It's tough to tell someone that they're being an a—hole, and it's tough to hear," he says, saying that when it came to getting sober, "Eventually I made the choice to admit that I'm being an a—hole."

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