Now that weed’s legal in Hollywood, and to varying degrees in more than half the country, saying you get high has lost its caché. In fact, it may be even trendier to say you’ve been there, done that, used to smoke weed, but now you quit. That’s at least what a handful of celebrities are doing these days.
After “30 solid years of just partying,” Woody Harrelson told Vulture that he hadn’t gotten high in almost a year. He said he wanted to be more moderate. Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson, too, recently announced on Instagram, “I quit drugs and am happy and sober for the first time in eight years.” Davidson even quit weed despite having used it medicinally for his Crohn’s disease, with which he was diagnosed when he was 18.
Mark Wahlberg quit weed after getting self-conscious about smelling like a “skunk” in front of his daughter. Her comment that “Sometimes Daddy smells like that” made him consider dropping his habit altogether.
Natalie Portman also admitted that she hasn’t smoked weed in years. She used to smoke it every day during college, but has quit since then. “I love stoner comedies,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “I’m too old. I wish I was that cool, but I’m like an old lady now. I’m in bed by 10pm. I can’t do that anymore.”
Other artists like Paul McCartney, Method Man, and CeeLo Green also quit using weed, citing concerns like family, reputation, and anxiety, according to Leafly. Meanwhile, Neal Young smoked weed for almost 40 years until his stroke, and since decided to quit. He told the New York Times he wanted to see what it was like to have a different perspective, sans cannabis. Lady Gaga, also quit using cannabis after smoking profusely to alleviate the pain from a hip injury. She admitted she was addicted, having smoked 15 joints a day. With the help of performance artist Marina Abramovich, Gaga was able to curb the habit. In an interview with Times of Israel, Matisyahu also said he quit weed, citing his desire to be creative and deal with life’s challenges minus a “crutch.”
The trend of quitting weed isn’t a reflection on weed, itself, but on healthy attitudes about choosing when to alter one’s consciousness. The celebrities who have quit using cannabis aren’t necessarily anti-weed, just as those who abstain from drinking aren’t necessarily anti-alcohol. They’ve just assessed their relationship to the substance.
Even Snoop Dogg’s on board. When Foster the People’s Mark Foster quit weed, he told Snoop upon meeting him, “I quit smoking, but I’d have a blunt with you now if I had the chance.” In response, Snoop told Foster, “You know what, brother, sometimes you gotta slow down and focus on your shit.”
