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.

[A CA Guy]

Some public education about marijuana as a gateway drug:
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/pei/brochures/drug/html/marijuana.cfm

I think like minded losers end up hanging out together and the misfits that use pot hang with those getting addicted to worse stuff and pot users being losers climb on board.

[presidio9]

Look, I'm giving up on this tangent Perry Mason. Roll around in it is you like.

[toothless]

"Both are equally absurd, drug use among teens has gone up not down during the WOD."

And since, as he has said, that MJ was outlawed as soon as society recognized it it must never have been used at all!

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Prety much, yeah. I'm only one man, responding as quick as I can. Plus I've got this self-righteous celebrity-impersonator former school teacher correcting my grammar free of charge.

LOL

[A CA Guy]

PROVIDE "EVIDENCE" FOR WHAT FLOATS HIS BOAT PLEASE!!!

[Xenalyte]

Ooooh, the nation's head law-enforcement guy is what I'd call an unbiased source. Sure.

BTW, what you think has no bearing on anything. What you can prove with facts does.

[presidio9]

I'm sure you could ping Dane, Jihad, Roscoe and the rest of the drug warriors to help you out.

No, that's what you guys do. I am not looking to "win" here. I just want as many people as possible to read the headline. Thanks for helping.

[lugsoul]

You are giving up on it because you are a lying sack of s***. And when you are caught at it you run away. Like the child you are.

[Xenalyte]

If you plan to ignore evidence when it's served up to you, you are unreachable, and in a class with DUmmy Kool-Aid drinkers who won't believe anything that nudges their viewpoints.

[Helms]

Likening Heinz green ketchup to a drug, Drug Czar John Walters is pressuring Heinz to include anti-drug messages on the back of every bottle. Messages like, "Don't smoke pot, have a Ritalin instead."

[presidio9]

Drugs are illegal now, you moron, and the facts cited by EyeSpy (I think) show that is on the rise.

Riiight... teen drug use would have declined if drugs were cheaper and easier to obtain. Stick to your job sweetheart.

[Xenalyte]

Go read the thread. Or are your views so fragile that they can't stand a little pressure?

[presidio9]

LOL

[A CA Guy]

Less children will find it as easy to get addicted, yep.

If it became approved of it would most certainly get around far more. We'd grow new addicts faster. I agree!

[commonerX]

Look, I'm giving up on this tangent Perry Mason.


WE WON

[AxelPaulsenJr]

You are giving up on it because you are a lying sack of s***.

I will remind you sir for the last time that this is a family thread, please mind your language.

[presidio9]

I told you Princess, I don't have time. I'm pretty much reading the next post, responing, and then reading somebody else's post. Which suits me just fine.

[ActionNewsBill]

They have needle marks on their arms and call themselves conservatives? I think not!

Specifically, which FReepers are you refering to?

Libel:
2 a : a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression

b (1) : a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt

(2) : defamation of a person by written or representational means

You might want to reconsider yor libelous and unwarranted statement

[lugsoul]

Pound sand, Axel. What do you think the asterik is for?

[A CA Guy]

Oh, your sources with he red eyes and needles sticking out of their arms dripping drugs are so much more palatable and sanitary! I'm impressed.