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.

[presidio9]

There are no bootleggers? Well, that's just a false statement. Illegal alcohol sales are incredibly common in places where alcohol sales are illegal. I've bought alcohol from bootleggers. As a minor. I know for a fact that they still exist. You are just wrong. But that will be no surprise to anyone.

OK there are alcohol bootleggers. There are infinitely more drug dealers. What is your point? Dealing drugs is much, much less complicated that bootlegging alcohol today. And drugs are illegal everywhere in this country.

Also, your grasp of economics is a bit weak. Explain how these teenage pushers will make MORE money selling a legal substance, which is pretty damn easy to produce, when its current price is supported completely by the fact that it is illegal. What do you think it costs to grow an ounce of weed and get it to market?

I grow tired of sparring with mental Lilliputians. First, I never said pushers would make MORE(your emphasis) money. But it is you who either denies, or does not understand how the system works. Pushers make a small percentage of the value of the trade. Since selling to minors will still be illegal, those who do so will probably take exactly the same markup. Legalizing drugs will not eradicate pushers. If anything there will be more of them.

I always find it amusing to be called stupid by an idiot.

[headsonpikes]

Now get him a six-pack of doughnuts and some privacy and you'll make him one happy WODder!

[ActionNewsBill]

I support the Second Ammendment.

I doubt that. Or if you do, you believe the 2nd gives you a right to shoot a deer or something.

My suggestion to all of you Libertarians is to garner support for an ammendment of your own.

My suggestion to you freedom haters is to garner support for an amendment to make marijuana illegal.

After all, the Constitution had to be amended to make alcohol illegal.

[lugsoul]

"Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are hooked on marijuana. Friends say the Hollywood couple have been trying to keep their drug use a secret for years. One friend says, 'They tell pals their idea of a perfect night is getting high together at home. They smoke almost every day. They're quite open about their marijuana use and are happy to smoke up a storm in public at parties.' Aniston boasted to friends that she and Pitt were stoned when they were introduced to President Clinton. Ironically, Aniston is set to play the wife of a man infertile because of his pot smoking in the movie The Good Girl", World Entertainment News Network, Jan. 18, '01

[presidio9]

You haven't honestly responded to my arguments once---you've only misstated or dodged them.

For the puroses of this thread all I have been concerned with is the alcohol is bad argument. A few of you idiots have gotten me off on a tangent a few times, but I am not concerned with Constitutional Law on an Ozzy Osborne thread.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Well I guess it would have to be doughnuts, cause the anti wodders got all the cheetos tied up.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Well, too bad. Please don't tell me my main babe is in to the nasty stuff as well.

[lugsoul]

Wow - you can miss a point found in your own words. Okay, real slow now... Illegal alcohol sales are more difficult because alcohol is a legal, regulated substance. The entire pot economy is underground.

You've got stones calling anyone an idiot, after the crap you post here. Oh, by the way, nice that you ran away from your bootlegger claim as soon as you were challenged on it.

[jayef]

I rather like the 4th Amendement. Wait, that's already in the constitution. Oh . . . I see, you're one of those people who thinks the constitution grants you rights. Unless something is specifically authorized it's prohibited. I see. Carry on!

[jayef]

Tell me who's going to sell me pot if I can grow it legally in my basement.

[ActionNewsBill]

Thought you might like a pleasant break from debating with these pro druggies.

Your "poster girl" is a DRUGGIE. By extension, your associating with and posting a photo of a known DRUGGIE means you are guilty of being a DRUGGIE.

Turn yourself in to the authorities NOW, and maybe they'll go easy on you.

[Xenalyte]

Anyone else need a stiff drink? Thank God it's legal, and therefore completely harmless.

[jayef]

You beat me to it. Delicious irony, eh. I love it.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Your "poster girl" is a DRUGGIE. By extension, your associating with and posting a photo of a known DRUGGIE means you are guilty of being a DRUGGIE.

Another example of the twisted logic used by the anti wodders to justify the silly use of silly drugs.

[jmc813]

Despite your flawed views on the WOD, at least you have good taste in women.

[ActionNewsBill]

Why is this addressed to me? >Why is this addressed to me?

Beats me.

[discostu]

The homebrewing industry doesn't seem to be seriously impacting Budweiser.

[ActionNewsBill]

I always find it amusing to be called stupid by an idiot.

I find it amusing to be called an idiot by a no-nothing moronic imbecile.

[presidio9]

Hey good comeback. Say something relevant. Anything.

[ActionNewsBill]

Another example of the twisted logic used by the anti wodders to justify the silly use of silly drugs.

Another non-logic post by a member of the fascist bootlickers club trying to justify their deadly war on citizens.