When you hear “Rolling Stones,” you probably think about a lot of things: rock and roll, sex and fame. However, many people connect the Rolling Stones with drugs. The members of this infamous rock and roll group never hid their drug use, especially Mick Jagger. Let’s take a look at what the lead singer has said about his and the Rolling Stones’ drug use over the years and how they’ve all approached sobriety.
The Rolling Stones’ History and Cultural Impact
The Rolling Stones formed as a band in London in 1962 and went on to become one of the most influential music groups of all time. The original lineup of the band consisted of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.
Since the beginning, the Rolling Stones have been incredibly intertwined with drugs and alcohol. A part of the band’s wild reputation and appeal to young people was their openness about their substance use. The band was matching the powerful counterculture of the 1960s.
In 1967, a tabloid released a three-part feature called Pop Stars and Drugs: Facts That Will Shock You that targeted the Rolling Stones. The writer claimed to have witnessed the bandmates using LSD, marijuana and prescription drugs. As a result of the article, the band members had their houses raided and were arrested for drug possession.
Over several decades, the band members would be arrested nine times, and seven of those times would include some form of drug possession charges.
What’s Known About Mick Jagger and His Substance Use
Mick Jagger leaned into his rock star image of loving drugs, alcohol and sex. He has commented on how many drugs the band was taking in their earlier years and has regrets about how it impacted their music. In particular, Jagger believes the Their Satanic Majesties Request album wasn’t of the highest caliber because the entire band was high while they made it.
“The whole thing, we were on acid. We were on acid doing the cover picture.”
He concluded, “I probably started to take too many drugs. Well, [the Satanic Majesties album] isn’t very good.”
During his prime years recording and touring with the band, Mick Jagger’s drugs of choice were heroin, cocaine, LSD and marijuana.
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The Other Band Members and Drug Use
Mick Jagger wasn’t the only band member open about drug use. Several of the other Rolling Stones members frequently abused substances and even developed addictions.
Brian Jones
Drugs first started to negatively impact the band with Brian Jones. Despite being one of the founders of the Rolling Stones, Jones would eventually be kicked out of the band. He was experimenting with hard drugs, and his addiction was causing him to become increasingly problematic and unreliable.
In a 2024 interview, band member Bill Wyman shared, “There was no malice, they just got fed up with his drug taking. None of the rest of us took drugs. Well, Keith… They did a bit, but there was no heavy stuff for years.”
Sadly, Jones would die less than a month after being kicked out of the band. He drowned in his swimming pool while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Jones is a powerful example of just how dangerous drug addiction can truly be. Since 1999, drug overdoses have killed almost 1 million Americans.
Keith Richards
A few years later, it would be Keith Richards who’d start having major issues with drugs. Keith Richards’ heroin addiction almost caused the band to fall apart during the height of its fame. American music critic Anthony Curtis reflected on this time, saying, “Keith had his son Marlon with him, and he would say, ‘Oh, I’m gonna go put Marlon to bed.’ And then you wouldn’t see him for a day and a half. And I think that that was beginning to create issues in the band. One of your main songwriters and, in many ways, the musical driving force of the band is somebody who’s having drug problems. And I think that comes up in the lyrics.”
Charlie Watts
Drummer Charlie Watts reflected that his substance issues came on a little later. He always did a moderate amount of drugs and alcohol, but in the mid-1980s, things took a turn.
The late Watts shared, “[Drugs and alcohol were] my way of dealing with [family problems] … I think it was a mid-life crisis. All I know is that I became totally another person around 1983 and came out of it about 1986. I nearly lost my wife and everything over my behavior.”
Bill Wyman
Of the original main band members, only Bill Wyman seemed to escape without a substance abuse problem. Wyman said in a 2019 documentary that he simply never had much of an interest in drugs. “I did mention in the film the way the boys always tried to entice me, but I always stayed clean. There was never any heavy alcohol. No drugs. You know, the odd pep pill to keep awake sometimes when it was necessary, but that was about it, and the odd joint very, very early on.”
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The Rolling Stones and Drugs: Where They Stand Today
The band members who are alive today are drug-free and promoting a sober lifestyle. In 2023, Keith Richards said in an interview that he no longer does drugs. “The cigarettes I gave up in 2019, I haven’t touched them since. I gave up heroin in 1978. I gave up cocaine in 2006. I still like a drink occasionally — because I’m not going to heaven any time soon — but apart from that, I’m trying to enjoy being straight.”
Mick Jagger found sobriety even earlier. He says he’s barely touched alcohol in 25 years because he now knows “It’s debilitating to drink a lot.”
Lessons From the Band’s Recovery Journeys
From the 1960s, the Rolling Stones glamorized drug and alcohol use. It was the height of their fame, and it was part of their band’s image. But as the band members got older and wiser, they slowly eliminated substances and adopted sobriety.
Some members, such as Keith Richards, went to rehab to overcome their addiction. And others, like Brian Jones, didn’t get help in time and tragically passed away.
What’s important is that the band members are undoing the messaging of their earlier years. It may not feel very “rock and roll” to talk about giving up drugs, but it promotes an important message to their audience. Rolling Stones fans who look up to the band members can now see the benefits of addiction recovery and may be encouraged to seek help for themselves if they’re struggling.
Get Help With FHE Health
If you’re struggling with addiction, know that help is always available. FHE Health can support you throughout your recovery journey, enabling you to take back control of your life. Contact us today to learn more about our personalized substance abuse treatment programs.
