Ethan Embry is coming clean about his past opiate use and drug addiction.
The White Squall and Can’t Hardly Wait actor recently revealed that he was, at one time, addicted to prescription painkillers and black tar heroin. Embry’s shocking disclosure came in the form of a series of tweets on Friday, apparently aimed at Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the politician’s recent talk of harsher penalties for drug offenders. Ethan claims that stricter drug laws are not the way to help addicts.
“For decades we have told addicts that their behavior deserves punishment,” Embry tweeted. “That they should be locked away for their addictions. All that accomplishes is multiplying the shame that us addicts experience. It forces us to hide our addictions until it’s too late for help.” Ethan, 38, is reportedly now sober since his drug-taking days — the Sweet Home Alabama actor said he has not relapsed since he got clean.
Ethan Embry obviously feels strongly about the country’s drug crisis. Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General who was nominated by then-President-elect Donald Trump in November of last year, seemingly wants to strengthen America’s “War on Drugs,” much to Ethan’s dismay. In March, Sessions declared in a widely-covered speech that marijuana is only “slightly less harmful” than heroin — a dubious claim according to medical research. Sessions also recently revealed a memo outlining his plan for tougher sentences in drug cases. On Friday, Embry passionately stated that the “memo from Sessions… only makes it worse.”
As reported by E! News , Ethan Embry discussed his past opiate addiction in a string of tweets posted by the actor last week, on May 12. Embry’s Twitter declaration about drugs was also apparently in celebration of the exact date when he first decided to stop the habit.
“I was stuck in a cycle of running through a subutex script and smoking tar for about two straight years. 6 years ago today I started my kick.”
Opiate OD is the leading cause of preventable death in America at 50k last year alone. It’s a health crises not a criminal one Mr Sessions
— Ethan Embry (@EmbryEthan) May 12, 2017
“Opiate OD is the leading cause of preventable death in America at 50k last year alone. It’s a health crisis not a criminal one.”
Embry addressed to Sessions that the drug problem in the U.S. is a “health crisis not a criminal one,” and offered the statistic that “opiate [overdose] is the leading cause of preventable death in America.”
“My DM’s are open if you need any help,” Ethan reportedly told other Twitter users dealing with drug addiction. Clearly, Ethan feels grateful to be sober and wants to help others who are struggling.
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People magazine also reported on Ethan Embry’s Sessions-directed drug tweets. The mag recounts how Ethan tweeted that physical fitness and exercise was just one thing that has helped him to stay sober through the years. As many addicts are aware, Ethan knows that recovery is an unending road — he tweeted that he has his “fingers crossed” to remain clean, indicating that he takes his sobriety one day at a time.
“Pretty sure I’ll have today in the bag. Might even get cocky and claim I’ll be clean tomorrow. But after that its fingers crossed.”
Below, watch Ethan Embry’s appearance on Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show .
Are you surprised to learn of Ethan Embry’s past addiction to black tar heroin? What do you think of the Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle actor’s tweets that were directed at Attorney General Jeff Sessions? Do you agree with Ethan’s views on addiction and drug use? Are you following Ethan Embry on Twitter?
Let us know your favorite Ethan Embry movie in the comments section.
[Featured Images by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images & John Moore/Getty Images]