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.

[eyespysomething]

Nope. But if you support legalized drugs smaller government, you are a Libertarian conservative.

Fixed!

[Xenalyte]

Is it not possible that a woman could also want to make herself attractive for the purpose of attracting other women?

No, say the Man-Hating Feminists. Women are too evolved and sophisticated to need artificial attractiveness. We opt for the beauty within.

It's a head-scratcher, all right.

[MEGoody]

"He is the one arguing for prohibition, he has to support it."

In other words, you don't have the statistics that MrLeRoy was asked for either. LOL

[presidio9]

Fixed!

Right. Let's get rid of our military too. That's smaller government.

[commonerX]

I don't, what would labal someone who is for the prohibition of alcohol.

Labeling people as one type or another doesn't support your arguement.

[toothless]

"Liars, Damn Liars, and statistics."

Even if I had the time to do his legwork, you would just say my sources are biased. Same as I would say about yours.

[eyespysomething]

Off topic I know but...

I had a co-worker send me an article about how golf clothing is changing by gearing clothing towards women, and making it more feminine. He said it was a shame. I told him the shame is that women have been made to believe that if they take the time to look nice, dress however, fix their hair, they are somehow less "liberated".

I hold tremendous power over my husband (although I don't abuse it) (well, usually lol), and it ain't because I can get equal pay. Women are made to be sexy and feminine. Why else would we look as good as we do?

[vin-one]

sure what ever you say.

I am a libertarian because I am against the WOD,
If that is the defining criteria for Republican vs Liberatarian
Then I guess so. I always thought it was my stand on the issues.
smaller govt, less taxes, personal responsibility, respect for human life, etc....

So I guess you are a Nanny State liberal supporter, which supports limited freedom, and more gov't control over everyones life.
Welcome to the Union of socialst Amerika.

[presidio9]

When you say you are pro-drugs, you are labling yourself. That is a Libertarian cause, not a conservative one. For the life of me I can't understand why Libertarians are so afraid of their name. You are what you are. Deal with it. A majority of Conservatives have chosen to support the WOD. The issue is resolved to all who are of clear state of mind.

[bird4four4]

So you can't claim to be a conservative unless you tow every line they throw to you? So much for a free thinking people.

[eyespysomething]

Right. Let's get rid of our military too. That's smaller government

Yeah, right.

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I'll read through it again, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say anything about the War on Drugs. But it does mention liberty.

Besides, that's just silly. I didn't say NO government, just smaller.

[presidio9]

Drugs are a pretty big Conservative issue. Which is why people like you participate so enthusiastically in threads like this.

[presidio9]

Drugs are an assault on our culture and our children. I fail to see the difference.

[eyespysomething]

The War on Drugs is an assault on our freedoms and liberties. Drugs have always been here, and always will. People will use them regardless of the legality of them.

The War on Drugs is a tremendous waste of taxpayer (read: mine and yours) money, and it hasn't done diddly to help stop drug abuse. People need to quit being so afraid of letting people make their own decisions, bad or good.

Can you tell me how the War on Drugs is succeeding?

[commonerX]

I don't believe I ever said I am pro-drugs. Alcohol is legal and I don't think anyone would say that makes us pro-alcoholic. It seems that your opion of conservatism is to tote the line, don't question, don't consider anything other then what you are told by the Gov. If you do question your some other label.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Time for another babe.

[commonerX]

I don't believe I ever said I am pro-drugs. Alcohol is legal and I don't think anyone would say that makes us pro-alcoholic. It seems that your opion of conservatism is to tote the line, don't question, don't consider anything other then what you are told by the Gov. If you do question your some other label.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Time for another babe.

[lugsoul]

So, after Prohibition was repealed, the mob started selling bathtub gin in the schoolyard?

[jayef]

I have a good friend who is a PhD and teaches at Rice. She tells the same story.