Paul McCartney Said His Drug Arrest Was 'Very Stupid' and Embarrassing, but Also Scary

In 1980, Paul McCartney found that his celebrity wouldn’t help him avoid arrest when he brought drugs into Japan. The musician arrived in Tokyo with half a pound of marijuana in his bag, an amount that could’ve have landed him in prison for seven years. While McCartney ultimately avoided more than a few days of jail time, he said the experience was frightening. Still, he admitted it was stupid to have even been in the situation.

In 1980, McCartney flew to Tokyo in preparation for a multiple-city concert tour with his band Wings. When he arrived at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, a customs agent discovered half a pound of marijuana in his bag. While he said it was for his personal use, the amount meant that he was at risk for a smuggling charge and up to seven years in prison.

“We were about to fly to Japan and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get anything to smoke over there,” McCartney said in 2004, per History. “This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet, so I thought I’d take it with me.”

When reflecting on the incident, he said he’d been stupid to try to bring drugs to Japan.

Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com

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