Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently made a startling revelation concerning his past struggles with substance abuse.
During an appearance on Theo Von’s podcast, This Past Weekend, the Health and Human Services Secretary reflected on their first encounter at morning recovery meetings.
The 72-year-old statesman, who has maintained his sobriety for 43 years, shared that when Covid-19 led to the closure of these meetings, he and other group members began gathering clandestinely, referring to them as a ‘pirate’ group.
On the podcast, he stated his unwavering commitment to these recovery sessions, saying, “I said I don’t care what happens, I’m going to a meeting every day.”
He went on to shock the audience by revealing details about his history with drugs, admitting, “I said, I’m not scared of a germ.’ I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats.”
Continuing, he emphasized the seriousness of his addiction, “I know this disease will kill me, right? Like if I don’t treat it, which means for me going to meetings every day, it’s just bad for my life. For me, it was survival.”
He also highlighted the importance of helping others in recovery, describing it as “the secret sauce of the meetings, and that’s what keeps us all sober. Keeps us from self-will.”
This wasn’t RFK Jr.’s first time discussing his drug use. In a 2024 interview on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast, he claimed drugs improved his academic performance. “I did very, very poorly in school, until I started doing narcotics,” he recalled.
“Then I went to the top of my class because my mind was so restless and turbulent and I could not sit still.”
Reflecting on his past heroin use, he remarked, “It worked for me. And if it still worked, I’d still be doing it.”
He has remained sober since 1983, marking 43 years of recovery.
Throughout his tenure as Health and Human Services Secretary, RFK Jr. has made several controversial statements. In October, during a speech at the White House, he caused a stir by linking the US’s declining birth rate to endocrine disruptors, labeling it a national security concern.
Moreover, last May, his views on vaccines raised concerns within the medical community. His statements, which reiterated long-debunked claims about vaccines, including the discredited notion that they cause autism, alarmed experts.
If you need support or confidential advice about drug use, reach out to FRANK. They offer assistance via phone at 0300 123 6600, text at 82111, or through their website available 24/7, or via livechat from 2pm-6pm any day.