I get paranoid from weed.

But I do like myself some ketamine, cocaine, LSD, DMT, GHB, and MDMA :D

I don't think he would be as famous if people weren't doing drugs while listening to his music

It can be addictive. It can lead to other drugs. Neither of which means it needs to be illegal.

There are bad outcomes to cannabis use. It can kick off schizophrenia and depersonalization disorder, it actually can lower your IQ, and ending up in hospital because of palpitations from the high doses in gummies also happens, as well as cannabis hyperemesis, and it can affect sexual health and cause long term changes in the brain. This podcast did some great research https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/psychiatry-psychotherapy-podcast/2019/5/1/marijuana-and-mental-health

Do I think recreational use is any more risky than alcohol? No. But using alcohol every day isn't great and neither is cannabis. A drink or two, a joint on the weekend? Not a big deal. Have some fun.

I think legalization in Canada is a bit mixed, dispensing with arresting and prosecuting people for having a little pot was a waste of time, and I don't really care if people relax with it. But there is a demonstrated increase in adverse outcomes from cannabis with legalization on the studies. And the 90 zillion weed stores in every city is overkill. Literally one on every block.

I don't use cannabis, the two times I've tried it it just made me tired so I don't see the point, but I don't care if people do. I just don't think it's wise not to know the risks.

I think that the larger message there is more that he feels that recreational drug use isn't a great idea.

Wait, weed is legal in the US? When was that a thing?

(Marijuana is still illegal on the federally level in the US)

I mean, sure, its addictive and unhealthy. But, the people suffering from it are the people that take it in the first place, so, banning personal possession and use is effectively punishing the victims, adding more suffering which may drive some to seek more drugs to get through. And if you instead ban production and distribution, you simply create a perfect niche for organized crime to appear to do those things, which creates worse problems than the drugs themselves. If such drugs dont force those involved with them to hide, at least it is possible to put some regulations on them, and more easily monitor and intervene in their use.

While I think that legalisation, or at least decriminalisation, for personal use is probably the right policy decision I agree with Elton to a degree.

Currently there is a fairly well established cultural belief at least in English speaking countries that marijuana is not addictive, not dangerous to health, and not problematic at all.

The belief that marijuana is largely harmless persists despite the fact that we all know people who smoke excessively to the point of making their lives worse and if they come to this realisation they find it incredibly difficult to stop.

Criminalisation of marijuana, especially combined with over policing of specific communities as occurred in the USA, is a disaster. But not recognising the very real harms that marijuana does to some peoples lives is also a disaster.

Imagine anyone caring about what this irrelevant old fart thinks