Willie Nelson is more than an iconic Country legend - he's also beloved within the cannabis community for his support of legalization efforts and pop culture status as a truly legendary stoner. Willie Nelson's relationship with marijuana is much more complicated than many assume, however, and the musician uses cannabis for far more serious reasons than getting recreationally high. As a matter of fact, marijuana once saved Willie Nelson's life, according to a recent interview, and has served as a miraculous source of inspiration ever since.

Here's how marijuana saved Willie Nelson's life, and what this impressive tale can teach us.

Nelson wasn't always an iconic legend

These days, Willie Nelson is fondly recalled as one of the greatest performers of modern times, with millions of his fans dotting the globe. Yet Nelson wasn't always an iconic legend, and in his earliest days when he was just getting started he found that marijuana was more than a recreationally enjoyable drug - it was a literal lifesaver.

That's according to an extensive interview Nelson gave to Rolling Stone, which is dedicating an entire issue to marijuana in the wake of legalization movements across the country. In his interview, Nelson dives into the earliest days of his career, and is man enough to make an honest confession; once upon a time, he seriously struggled with alcoholism. Like many other performers, he found solace at the bottom of a bottle after a long day of dealing with fans and the press, to the point where his health was being negatively impacted.

Nelson was quite candid in his interview, admitting that the amount of drank and smoked in his 30s and 40s likely would have killed him before long. One thing saved him, however; the marijuana joint he smoked for the first time in 1954 quickly proved to be one of his favorite things. So much so did he enjoy the drug that he drastically cut down on his drinking and the smoking of tobacco, replacing it with the reefer that would become so beloved amongst his adoring fans. Saying that "it saved my life, really," Nelson pointed to the power of marijuana to turn recreational users away from the harsher and more harmful alcohol.

According to the CDC, excessive alcohol consumption cost society at least 88,000 deaths per year, with a whopping 2.5 million years of potential life being lost each year amongst the living population thanks to its terrible effects. With a cannabis joint neatly rolled in his hands, however, Nelson found no need to turn to the bottle anymore and soon became immensely happier thanks to the substance. Thus, the possible loss of one of the greatest musicians and cultural icons was avoided almost entirely thanks to the allure of Mary Jane.

Marijuana has always fueled creativity

Fans who love Nelson's work owe a serious thanks to marijuana, which has always fueled creativity in the world of music and entertainment. From the Beatles to the Rolling Stones to Nelson himself, countless classic hits have been churned out by excellent musicians and bands who found that they couldn't get enough cannabis no matter where they roamed. To this day, Nelson still smokes and finds creative energy from marijuana, with countless other artists and professionals doing the same.

Many modern artists who have websites built by Brainbox, still smoke before writing, painting, or performing in an effort to alleviate their nerves. These days, even major athletes are starting to rely on the power of hemp oil to boost their recovery efforts. The injection of marijuana into everyday life has ignited a flurry of creativity, with new ideas and ways of doing business springing out at the seams. Companies like Brainbox and others are tapping into this creative way of looking into the world, though artists and musicians have long recognized the potential of making this personalized in an effort to reach their audiences.

Imagining a world of music without Willie Nelson is terrifying, but that's what we'd be stuck with without the help of marijuana. Cannabis may not be for everyone, but it's already proven itself to be a wondrous plant for many, with its helpful impact literally saving lives in more ways than one. Medicinal weed may get all the positive press when it comes to saving people, but Willie Nelson demonstrates regular marijuana can also help pull folks out of a rut in their lives.

With Nelson having recently celebrated his 86th birthday, nobody can assert that his dependence on Marijuana has impeded his quality of life. Furthermore, the country legend himself has been upfront about the fact that cannabis quite literally saved his life during his more reckless years, when the tantalizing allure of alcohol was hard to ignore. Marijuana is getting more popular by the day and given its tendency to save the lives of amazing artists like Willie Nelson, it's a sure thing that it's going to become increasingly accepted by society one way or another.

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