Willie Nelson Quits Smoking Marijuana At 86

Willie Nelson has quit smoking weed citing “[it] almost killed me.”

The country singer has been a marijuana legalisation advocate for years, and as he still tours at 86-years-old, he needed to quit “take better care” of himself.

He said, “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. I don’t smoke anymore. I take better care of myself today.”

Nelson explained that he “mistreated” his body since a young age, saying, “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever … and that almost killed me.” — the legendary singer began smoking weed in 1954.

In relation to performing on stage, he says, “Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out.” — he credits cannabis as something that “saved my life, really,”

The On The Road Again singer said, “I wouldn’t have lived 85 years if I’d have kept drinking and smoking like I was when I was 30, 40 years old. I think that weed kept me from wanting to kill people. And probably kept a lot of people from wanting to kill me, too — out there drink, running around.”

His interview with KSAT is where Willie spoke about his cannabis use over the years, and he furthered to say, “I’m here; I’m glad to be here. I’m lucky to be here.”

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