Ozzy Says He Now Believes Pot Leads To Other Addictions

MTV ^ | 07.08.2003 | Robert Mancini, with reporting by Gideon Yago

[presidio9]

Ozzy Osbourne may have weathered the lowest lows that drug addiction has to offer, but the news that his son Jack was seeking treatment for substance abuse taught him a lesson that his own decades of addiction never did.

"I used to think they should legalize pot, but you know what? They should ban the lot," Osbourne told MTV News, addressing Jack's battle for the first time. "One thing leads to another. Coffee leads to Red Bull, Red Bull leads to crank.

"When I found out the full depth of him getting into OxyContin, which is like hillbilly heroin, I was shocked and stunned," Osbourne continued. "The thing that's amazing was how rapidly he went from smoking pot to doing hillbilly heroin."

Ozzy's son entered a California rehabilitation facility in April to battle what was later revealed to be an addiction to the prescription painkiller OxyContin (see "Jack Osbourne Reveals He Was Addicted To Painkiller OxyContin"). Jack also said that he was drinking and using a variety of substances — including Vicodin, Valium, Xanax, Dilaudid, Lorcet, Lortab, Percocet and marijuana — before his trip to rehab (see "Rehab Helps Jack Osbourne Get To Root Of Addiction Problems").

Jack's laundry list of controlled substances made his father painfully aware of just how readily available drugs are. "When I started doing drugs years ago, they were hard to get, but today it's everywhere," Osbourne said. "It's not just America. It's not just California. It's not just Beverly Hills. It's not just downtown New York. It's not just London. It's all over the world" (see "All About OxyContin, The Pills Known As 'Killers' ").

This relatively easy access to allegedly "controlled" substances is especially hard for Ozzy to swallow given his firsthand experience with the damage that drugs can do.

"I'm 55 years old, and I didn't get off scot-free," Osbourne explained. "I have to take medication for the rest of my life because I've done so much neurological damage to my body," Osbourne said.

We'll have much more from our interviews with Ozzy and Jack in an "MTV News Now" special report, premiering Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET/PT (Jack's complete interview will appear on MTVNews.com when the show premieres). The show will be followed the next day by a repeat of MTV News' "True Life: I'm Hooked on OxyContin" at 6:30 p.m.

[TBall]

"Just wait. This thread will soon be full of Libertarian Children saying that Alcohol is much worse than marijuana." I've seen quite a few people destroyed by alcohol. A few of them are dead because of it. Please don't deny that alcohol abuse is extremely dangerous.

[dead]

He just stated that his underaged son could easily get his hands on any illegal drug he wanted. Therefore, drugs should remain illegal.

And yet, you find this absolutely asinine conclusion refreshing evidence of his new found maturity?

You guys must be sharing needles.

[goodseedhomeschool]

Had your coffee yet? I find it makes me a lot more agreeable and a lot less nasty. :)

[presidio9]

Yep. It also leads to rape murder and cancer.

I love the goofy rationalizations and oversimplifications you guys try to employ. Keep 'em coming.

[toothless]

None of the literally hundreds of pot smokers I know have gone on to do heroin.

Jack is just a little **** who thinks he is god's gift to the world.

Just because he can't control himself is no reason to punish everybody else.

Besides, I'm sure he was doing beer before pot. We should ban that!

[Stone Mountain]

You don't have to be Libertarian to believe that alcohol is worse than marijuana.

[Billy_bob_bob]

That's what I'm wondering. Sounds like ol' Ozzy has himself in the "capable" hands of some Hollyweird quacks who are probably shooting him up with sheep pi$$ and extract of wheat germ in order to "purify" his body of "toxins". What a load.

Seriously, just exactly what medication is being used to fix Ozzy's "neurological damage" to his body?

[Mr. Mojo]

"One thing leads to another. Coffee leads to Red Bull, Red Bull leads to crank."

Brilliant thinking, Ozzy.

[presidio9]

Please don't deny that alcohol abuse is extremely dangerous.

I don't recall saying that. I'm just amused by the childish libertarian "logic" of "alcohol is terrible, so legalize pot."

[dead]

Coffee leads to mushroom tea.

[presidio9]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/942511/posts?page=29#29

[presidio9]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/942511/posts?page=29#29

[TBall]

Good, why not alcohol is terrible so lets make it illegal?

[Sir Gawain]

Alcohol kills brain cells. Marijuana does not.

[BlackbirdSST]

So, after all the years of hard-core drug use, what makes you think he's right on this?

HeHe, Good one Luis! What's the world coming to? Ozzy Osbourne, the anti-drug? OMG! Ask him tomorrow what his name is, should be good for a chuckle! Blackbird.

[joesnuffy]

Bad choices lead to consequences
Bad parents lead to bad kids
Train up a child in the way that he should go...and even if for a while he goes astray he will return to his earlier training
Dont blame the substance for the abuse...the burden is on the user

[Mr. Mojo]

This thread will soon be full of Libertarian Children saying that Alcohol is much worse than marijuana.

Depends. Bad Tequila is worse than decent Sativa, but about on par with Mexican dirtweed/shake.

[=Intervention=]

You don't engage in discussions much, do you? Do you really think that conservatives will instantly accept everything about Ozzy just because he's right on one issue? I think conservatives are a bit more discerning than you paint them out to be. (Look around.)

[toothless]

I wonder how much partnership for a drug free america money ozzy is getting for this pronouncement?

[Sir Gawain]

Wait, do you mean to tell me that guns aren't responsible for murder? Are you saying that the people that actually pull the trigger are responsible? What an innovative idea!