Jelly Roll gave a shout out to marijuana as it steered him away from hardcore drugs in an interview published on Friday, May 24.“I think a world without weed, Jelly Roll’s drinking codeine and popping Xanax and snorting cocaine again, but a world with weed, I’ll be alright,” said the 39-year-old singer to Taste of Country.
The country star has been public about his past struggles with substance abuse and addiction, as he mentioned that marijuana has helped become “sober.”
“I get in trouble for this, all the time, but my stance on marijuana will always be the same: I believe marijuana has helped me in so many regards, with my anxiety…This is a hot button topic, but, truly, marijuana has kept me sober,” he expressed.
After learning from his mistakes at 23-years-old when he was incarcerated for drug dealing, he now is an advocate for helping those who are struggling to quit hardcore drugs. He spoke to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee in January 2024 to take action against the distribution and supply of fentanyl in the United States. “At every concert I perform, I witness the heartbreaking impact of fentanyl…I see fans grappling with this tragedy in the form of music…that they seek solace in music and hope that their experiences won’t befall others…I’m not here to defend the use of illegal drugs, and I also understand the paradox of my history as a drug dealer standing in front of this committee…But equally, I think that’s what makes me perfect to talk about this. I was a part of the problem. I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution,” he said.
Aside from taking action nationwide, Jelly Roll told People that he uses his platform for good. “I always said that if I ever got in this situation, I would do everything I could to give back…The fact that just me showing up places can make people happy is such a gift, and I feel like if God gave me that gift, I should show up,” he voiced.
Despite weed being his side-kick in helping defeat the hard drugs, he also gave credit to his wife Bunnie XO – whom he has been married to for eight years — for guiding him down a positive path and raising their children Bailee and Noah. “You’re talking about a woman that came in and took a child that was soon to be born and a child that [we were] soon to have full custody of…I would have never got custody of my daughter without her. I wouldn’t have had the stability or the money,” he said to Billboard.
His wife has even taken it to social media to defend Jelly as he focused on his physical health. “Don’t bully people, because you never know where they are mentally…There are a lot of people who are not as strong as me, that are on the internet, and they don’t deserve to f—kin’ be bullied,” she noted after revealing her husband had quit social media due to hate comments about his size which led to “hurt him.”