No More Marijuana for McCartney

Former Beatle Paul McCartney revealed Friday that after decades of indulgence, he no longer smokes marijuana.

At 72-years-old, McCartney is focused on staying fit and healthy because, despite his age, the iconic musician is still touring packed arenas and performing sets that are nearly three hours in duration.

While health-conscious and staunchly vegetarian, McCartney’s rationale for kicking pot to the curb is less about the health risks and more about family.

To be a better role model to his five children and eight grandchildren, the renowned Beatle and former Wings front man told the Daily Mirror, “I don’t do it any more. … Why? The truth is I don’t really want to set an example to my kids and grandkids. It’s now a parent thing.”

“Instead of smoking a spliff I’ll now have a glass of red wine or a nice margarita,” he continued. “The last time I smoked was a long time ago.”

McCartney added, “Back then, I was just some guy around London having a ball, and the kids were little so I’d just try and keep it out of their faces.”

McCartney first starting using marijuana after meeting Bob Dylan in August 1964. He told the Mirror it got him “thinking for the first time, really thinking.”

The rocker spent more than a week in jail for carrying half a pound of weed into Japan in 1980, and during the height of his fame as a Beatle, he–along with John, George, and Ringo–were using LSD and marijuana heavily.

While replacing pot with red wine, McCartney also relies heavily on yoga, fruits, and vegetables to stay in shape, he told the site.

After demonstrating a headstand and snacking on a handful of dried fruit and nuts during his interview, McCartney at one point stated, “I feel pretty fit.”