Willie Nelson Stops Smoking Weed After It Nearly "Killed" Him

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American country singer Willie Nelson takes a drag off a joint while relaxing at his home in Texas, 2000s. A large amount of marijuana is spread out on the table before him
Willie Nelson says he's taking better care of his health.

Some of you might think that you smoke a lot but there are very few that can out smoke Willie Nelson. The OG country singer has been championing cannabis use for a long time but at the age of 86, he has announced that he'll be hanging up the towel. 

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During a recent interview with KSAT in San Antonio, Willie Nelson revealed that he doesn't smoke anymore and it's due to health reasons, unfortunately. He explained that he's found it more difficult to breathe in recent times. "I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful," he said. Nelson was forced to push back his tour dates in late August due to breathing problems.

"I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever," Nelson continued. "And that almost killed me." He admits that he's much more focused on his health these days because of it. "I don't smoke anymore -- take better care of myself."

Willie Nelson was an early advocate of cannabis during a time when it wasn't widely accepted. He'd preach about its medical benefits throughout his career. Snoop Dogg even admitted on Jimmy Kimmel Live that Willie Nelson is, in fact, the only person who's ever out smoked him.


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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