Willie Nelson on Marijuana: ‘I Haven’t Seen Any Side Effects That Are Harmful to Me’
Willie Nelson is an avid supporter of the recreational use of marijuana — so much so that the country icon titled his new autobiography, ‘Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I’m Gone’ after his favorite non-musical pastime.
Nelson sat down with ‘The Today Show’ last week to plug his new project — his recent single with Snoop Dogg, ‘Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die’ has a similar subject matter — and to discuss his stance on the hot-button topic.
“I haven’t seen any side effects that are harmful to me,” Nelson told host Matt Lauer regarding his use of the illegal drug. “I’m a canary of the mind. I’m 80 years old. Check me out.” Though the ‘On the Road Again’ legend doesn’t find that his weed use is harming his health, it has landed him in trouble with police on several occasions.
Nelson admits that he’s “happy” about the recent controversial legalization of the substance in Colorado and Washington, saying, “We don’t have to fly to Amsterdam anymore.”
Though Nelson may be an outspoken advocate of the legalization of weed, the legend is even more passionate about his personal life — especially as a devoted husband and father. The singer-songwriter has blazed a tremendous trail that he hopes his children will learn from. “They experienced all with me a lot of things I was going through,” he says of his kids. “They saw how I was handling it. I hope I handled it ok so they could get some experience on how they might want to handle things.”
“It’s great to have your kids on the stage with you,” Nelson adds. “Especially if they’re good. Yeah, that’s as good as it gets.”
Nelson has seven children, including son Lukas Nelson, lead singer of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. The rocker has performed alongside his famous father on numerous occasions, including an appearance on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ earlier this year.
‘Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I’m Gone’ was released on Nov. 13 and is now available at all major retailers. The title of the project was taken from a track from Nelson’s recent studio album, ‘Heroes,’ which was released in May of this year.
Next: See Willie Nelson's Mug Shot
Watch Willie Nelson Talk Weed on ‘The Today Show’
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11 Diving Fails to Prep You for Summer
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