McCartney Says He's Given up Pot Now That He's a Granddad

[FrodosPet]

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/mccartney-pot-now-granddad-31410841

Paul McCartney says he has given up marijuana after many years of indulgence and now prefers wine or "a nice margarita."

The former Beatle told the Daily Mirror he doesn't want to set a bad example for his children and grandchildren by using marijuana. He said Saturday his decision is "a parent thing."

~ snip ~

The 72-year-old British rock/pop star is fit and has long advocated a vegetarian lifestyle. He continues to perform for adoring crowds worldwide.

[PeaceNikki]

1. Reality check: booze is not a better example.

[Fred Sanders]

3. Traded a drug that has killed no one for a poison/drug that has killed millions? Sir Paul, what are you thinking?

[PeaceNikki]

6. Amen.

[malthaussen]

7. He's thinking marijuana is still against the law. n/t

[Fred Sanders]

9. There are bad laws just as there are bad men who wrote them. A sudden affection for the law? No.

If he had said he is quitting all drugs...maybe I would be on board.

[malthaussen]

10. Affection? I doubt it.

Pragmatism, though...

-- Mal

[PeaceNikki]

13. The law is more important than health and safety?

Weird.

He actually has the option of doing neither and he choose the significantly more dangerous one.

[malthaussen]

14. He still likes to tie one on, presumably.

Dude has abused enough substances in his life.

-- Mal

[PeaceNikki]

16. I get that, it's just some of us find his choice a bit ludicrous.

Especially those of us with vast experience with alcoholics. The societal blessing of alcohol as the legal drug of choice is incredibly harmful. Thankfully that seems to be changing a bit.

[malthaussen]

17. That's why I figure he must be concerned with legality for his grandchildren.

Although it is also possible he just likes booze more than pot. Whatever the reason, I doubt health is his first concern.

-- Mal

[PeaceNikki]

19. Right, it's the example for his grandchildren he said.

And alcohol is not a *better* one.

[karynnj]

31. It depends whether its a glass of wine, or becoming an alcoholic.

It also depends on whether he has a tendency to become an alcoholic. Given his age and the fact that he has also had wine and beer for years, he is very likely not an alcoholic. I know well some people who really can't drink, because they are alcoholics. The one I know best, decided that she will not drink anything.

I also know far more people who will share a bottle of wine between two couples with dinner. There are actually some health benefits for them doing so.

[Caspian Morgan]

2. Personally, I think some of the greatest music ever heard was created while high.

We should be encouraging more of it. Maybe there would be less war and more creativity.

[Politicalboi]

11. If that's the case he must have stopped smoking

In 1976 with Wings At The Speed of Sound. Anything after that Sir Paul should have kept smoking, and I'm a Beatle fan since I was 3 years old in 1964, and Paul was my favorite Beatle.

[oberliner]

15. Give Tug of War and Flowers in the Dirt another try

Some really great songs on each.

[Wilms]

29. Thanks for the tip

Pretty much Cherries, Ram, and Flaming Pie were all that I noticed.

[Caspian Morgan]

44. He had some really great songs on his last album.

A couple that even seemed to delve into themes of shamenism and surrealism. His live show was as intense as any Foo Fighters show and his drummer truly kicks ass.

As far as some of the greatest music being produced while high. Here's a few examples:

Don Felder was high as a kite when he wrote Hotel California sitting on the porch of his Mailbu apartment.
Jackson Browne was always high during his best songrwriting days.
All the Eagles were constantly high.
Pink Floyd quite obviously were stoned during their first two decades of intense creativity.
Jimmy Hendrix constantly high.
Roger McGuinn and the Byrds wrote songs about it.
Donavon stoned to the bone.
Queen were laid back stoners and experimenters.
Led Zep were completely out of it when they wrote Stairway To Heaven.
Bob Dylan/John Lennon/Cream/ Clapton/Yardbirds/ Jefferson Airplane/ The Stones
Oasis/ Foo Fighters/ REM/ Roger Hodgson of Supertramp- always high during their peaks
Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and A Band of Horses all serious creative wake and bakers.
The list goes on and on and on........not only is love the answer.......weed also is.

[treestar]

47. LOL

so true!

[Jackpine Radical]

27. I don't know about that.

I'm not a musician.

All I can say is that some of the greatest music ever heard was heard while high.

[Jesus Malverde]

4. Heh

Another boomer telling us what's good after years doing whatever they wanted.

What a loser, and 20 years behind his peers.

[malthaussen]

18. Yeah, I always thought that sucked.

"Hey, kids, whatever you do, I don't want you to have nearly the fun I had when I was your age."

Of course, apologists would try to sell you that it really wasn't fun.

-- Mal

[Gidney N Cloyd]

20. Slightly too old to be a boomer.

[Phentex]

22. Really!

Wouldn't he just be better off living authentically and letting the grandkids figure it out later?

[Politicalboi]

5. But using booze is okay

WTF?????

A bad example IS booze.

[seabeyond]

8. he waited until he was 150? well, ok. good for him. booze? never took it up. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. ...

[GeorgeGist]

21. Yeah, cause alcohol is so much better for you.

Paul is dead.

[Cha]

25. "Paul is dead"? WTF

[Wilms]

30. Google it.

LOL!

[Egnever]

42. That one went over your head.

"Paul is dead" is an urban legend and conspiracy theory suggesting that Paul McCartney of the English rock band the Beatles died in 1966 and was secretly replaced by a look-alike.

In September 1969, American college students published articles claiming that clues to McCartney's supposed death could be found among the lyrics and artwork of the Beatles' recordings. Clue-hunting proved infectious and within a few weeks had become an international phenomenon. Rumours declined after a contemporary interview with McCartney was published in Life magazine in November 1969.

Popular culture continues to make occasional reference to the legend, and McCartney poked fun at it with a 1993 live album titled Paul Is Live, whose cover parodied "clues" allegedly on the cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road album.

[Cha]

43. Yeah, I remember something like that. Crazy times.

[hunter]

23. Look, a 72 year old pot user.

A 72 year old who used alcohol and nicotine to similar effect would likely be dead already.

That seems to be the way things are playing out in my fifty-something peer group.

Them that started drinking and smoking cigarettes as teens and can't quit are not looking healthy.

The IV drug users are mostly dead.

One or two glasses of wine or a margarita is enjoyable and not a health hazard.

The pot smokers among my age peers are almost universally take-it-or-leave-it these days unless they have health problems unrelated to their previous pot use. Pot actually does have medicinal value for many health issues, and it's simply obscene to deny it to chemotherapy patients and the like.

I have some mixed feelings about cannibals, but by my own personal observations it isn't anything so horrible as alcohol and tobacco abuse.

I've never been a pot user, mostly because, in spite of what some people say, smoking pot did not help with my asthma or my crazy.

[Cha]

24. Really? Paul McCartney is "a loser" because he's saying what he's doing? He's not telling anyone

to do it. Live and Let Live.

Judge much.

[FrodosPet]

35. I'm not saying he is a loser

Is this a reply to someone else?

He made a personal decision on what to do with his body. I fully support that.

Marijuana should be legal, but no one should HAVE to smoke it. Considering how it affects motivation and short term memory, it's probably good for people who don't medically need it to avoid it.

[Cha]

36. No, sorry.. I wasn't talking to you, Frodos.. even though it looked like it was.

I was just addressing all the posts that were down on Paul McCartney. And, I put "loser" in quotes bc that's what I saw someone call him. All the good he does in the world and according to some anonymous poster on the internet he's a "loser" bc he stopped smoking pot.

I don't drink alcohol or smoke MJ anymore.. but I sure enjoyed it when I did.

I was thinking brownies or cookies might be nice though.. just don't let the kids know.

[FrodosPet]

38. That's what I was thinking

Looking back, I see the post you were addressing.

[Cha]

39. Yeah, I should have just gone there but what's the use..

I still wanted to get it out though.

[Gregorian]

26. I like Mick Jagger.

[Jackpine Radical]

28. How the mighty have fallen--

from on…uh…high.

[MannyGoldstein]

32. That would be a significant change

My BIL is friendly with a well-known musician who's worked a lot with Sir Paul, creating, rehearsing and performing music. Baked by 11 AM every morning, I'm told.

[MrScorpio]

33. It only took fifty years. nt

[Cha]

37. yeah, so it's not like he rushed into anything. lol

[Nye Bevan]

34. What about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds? (nt)

[olddots]

40. sorry I always thought of Paul as the candy ass Beatle

you know the cute Beatle and all that .

[Romulox]

41. I know right. After all, imagine what Paul could've accomplished without the pot! nt

[Joe the Revelator]

45. God...for Alcohol? Thats silly.

Alcohol will always be a worse example.

[aikoaiko]

46. As a parent I get it because of the legal (booze)/illegal (weed) issue.

But healthwise its a bad example.