Willie Nelson Believes His Famous Habit Saves Lives

Could smoking marijuana save lives? Legendary country singer Willie Nelson certainly seems to think so. The "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" crooner is one of the most recognizable names in country music. Throughout his lasting career, the musician has racked up dozens of awards, including multiple Grammy wins. Besides producing some of the catchiest country-rock anthems of the past decades, Nelson has one more hobby that has earned him many fans. The music star is hailed as a hero among the marijuana-using crowd. 

It's no secret that he is a big fan of the recreational drug. Nelson has landed himself in legal trouble many times over the years for possessing the highly debated herb. Most famously, he was arrested in 2010 after authorities discovered pot on his tour bus, per ABC News.

While Nelson has had his share of problems due to marijuana usage over the years, he has no doubt how useful it is. In fact, the country singer believes that smoking the medicinal herb has saved many lives because it saved him from drinking himself to death.

Marijuana is a subject clouded by controversy. But according to Willie Nelson, people should take a deeper look at its benefits before jumping to harsh conclusions about it. In an interview with E! News, Nelson revealed that he thinks marijuana isn't just a fun thing to smoke from time to time, it also has the potential to save lives. "Well, it not only saved my life, it probably saved some other people's lives," he said, before detailing his past struggles with alcoholism. He admitted that it was marijuana that played a huge helping hand in helping him overcome the addiction. "And I might have killed a lot of people, too," he stated. "So I'm just glad that that didn't happen."

Nelson is definitely on to something with his idea that marijuana saves lives. According to a study, alcohol is attributed to nearly 114 times more deaths than cannabis. The herb is also linked to many health benefits. Per Harvard Health, medical marijuana has been reported by many patients to relieve chronic pain and even ease symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Along with saving lives, marijuana has forged some unforgettable celebrity friendships for Willie Nelson. The "On the Road Again" singer tends to smoke with other famous faces. During his interview with E! News, he revealed that he got together with rap artist Snoop Dogg and home improv genius Martha Stewart, fellow fans of cannabis, for a smoke-filled night to... sort of remember. Things got fuzzy as the trio engaged in a cannabis-smoking duel. According to Nelson, the group had a fun time trying to out-smoke one another and even began crafting the collab song of the century. Unfortunately, we may never get to hear it. "I'm not sure we ever finished it or not," Nelson admitted with a laugh.

The smoking contest of the century isn't the only funny story Nelson has about smoking cannabis with other celebrities. The performer famously smoked with James Earl Carter III, the son of former President Jimmy Carter. Quite fittingly, the president's son and Nelson chose to partake in their substance of choice on the rooftop of the White House. The longtime rumor was confirmed by Jimmy Carter himself in the documentary "Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President."

Kelly Clarkson and Cher, who partied on Nelson's tour bus, are also listed among the singer's celeb friends, although neither of them are known to partake in marijuana.