Paul McCartney Calls for Cannabis to be Decriminalised (1984)

In January 1984, Paul McCartney called for cannabis to be decriminalised in an impromptu press conference at London Airport. The former Beatles member was confronted by a press mob when he and his wife, Linda McCartney, were returning from a holiday in Barbados – where Paul had been charged with possession of cannabis. The musician's deft handling of the interview drew laughter from bystanders.

McCartney's relationship with cannabis is well-established in music legend. The Beatles' song "Got to Get You Into My Life" was written by McCartney after he, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were introduced to the drug by Bob Dylan in 1964. McCartney was also arrested for cannabis possession in Japan in 1980, four years before this interview. Initially facing a seven-year sentence of hard labour, the star was deported back to Britain after spending just 10 days in a Japanese jail.

#PaulMcCartney #TheBeatles #Beatles #Cannabis #Decriminalisation #FunnyInterview

To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below:

To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below:

[jacklloyd]

People forget the gravity in which this man told the truth I front of the press, he could’ve lied, he could’ve hid, he chose to advocate instead. A real man

[Morntong]

I remember seeing this at the time. The full clip is hysterical. He was asked "didn't you say you wouldn't smoke after Japan" and he said with a big smile "Well obviously I lied, didn't I".

[mattwharton]

“But what about your children?”
“Yes it’s even less harmful than them”.

[ClintShoemaker]

Thank you for what you did Paul. You are always welcome in the rotation.

[LordBingham]

"But what about your children Paul?"

"They can get their f*ckin' own"

[JustinRCampbell]

I didn't know he made a public statement like this

[JTayler]

What is the charge? Smoking a spliff, a succulent Jamaican spliff?!

[chriss]

40 years later, we're still waiting

[daaa]

“in the privacy of my own room” he really got them there

[norkshit]

i didn’t know paul was chill like that

[agustinfrusto]

Goddamn I wasn't expecting he said glue 😂😂

[thebook]

"Never again" with a strong wink 😂

[jamesoniris]

I want a tshirt that says “Never Again” with a photo of Paul’s comedically large wink on it.

[mrduuud]

So refreshing to hear a celebrity speak so straight to puritanical journalists.

[MB-zjer]

The pot smokers always knew this. It was the people that didn't smoke that were the problem.

[AmnMnre]

Reporter: what about your children
Paul: I agree, children are way more harmful than cannabis

[HoboSmasher]

he was simply having a wonderful christmas time

[CheerfulBarn-zjun]

The most cartoonish wink possible, hilarious

[azurebonds]

Glad I share a birthday with this man. ❤️

[specialkalberta]

Love it when Paul winks after promising never to smoke cannabis.