We take a trip down memory lane tracing Paul McCartney’s multiple cannabis-related run-ins with the law, from minor fines to his nine-day detention in Japan in 1980.
The relationship between music and weed surprises exactly no one. In particular, the connection between the plant and The Beatles, one of the most successful bands in history, has been fertile ground for discussion. From their first joint with Bob Dylan to the cryptic references in their lyrics, these musicians’ relationship with cannabis has long been a subject of fascination.
But what might surprise more than a few people are the run-ins Paul McCartney (often considered the chillest, most laid-back Beatle) has had with the law over marijuana.
Yes, run-ins, plural. Let’s review them.
Paul McCartney, Weed, and His Encounters With the Law
Minor Run-Ins
The former Beatle’s first run-ins with the law didn’t amount to much. In 1972, Paul and his wife Linda were arrested in Sweden for carrying 6 ounces of cannabis. They were fined $1,200.
That same year, police raided his farm in Scotland, where McCartney was growing five marijuana plants. Once again, his only punishment was a fine, this time just £100.
Three years later, in Los Angeles, the couple was arrested again for possession, but only Linda was charged, and the case was quickly dropped.
The Big One: Arrest in Japan (1980)
Paul McCartney’s most serious run-in with the law came on January 16, 1980, in Japan, a country notorious for its restrictive policies on weed and other drugs, even to this day. The musician arrived in Tokyo with his family to perform a series of concerts with Wings, the band he was fronting at the time. But the shows never materialized: upon arrival at the airport, authorities found more than 200 grams of cannabis flower in his luggage.
The result? Nine …
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Author: Marian Venini / High Times
