Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Speaks on Germs and Recovery

On a recent episode of “This Past Weekend with Theo Von,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared that he isn’t particularly worried about germs, even referencing an unusual past experience of having “snorted cocaine off a toilet seat.”

The conversation started when Kennedy recalled meeting Von years ago while he was navigating his own recovery from drug addiction. He mentioned that during the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued to participate in in-person recovery meetings, despite his usual venue being shut down. He expressed a certain fearlessness about the virus.

“We had daily live meetings throughout the pandemic. We relocated from the banks,” Kennedy recounted. “About fifteen of us left the bank setting and went to the Palisades Playhouse, which is now destroyed by fire, but it felt like we were a crew of misfits. I wasn’t worried. I attended meetings every day. I said, ‘I’m not afraid of germs. I mean, I snorted cocaine off a toilet seat. And yeah, sure, the disease might kill me, right?'”

He added, “If I don’t treat it, this daily commitment to meetings could negatively affect my life. For me, it’s about survival. And you also have the chance to assist another alcoholic. That’s what the meeting is really about, and it’s what keeps us all sober and generous.”

Kennedy has been open about his family’s struggle with addiction. He has previously recounted the experience of taking LSD for the first time at the age of 15 and his slide toward heroin addiction during a summit in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this year.

“I asked someone, ‘If I drink this, will I see dinosaurs?’ and they replied, ‘Maybe,'” Kennedy humorously shared at HMP Global’s Rx and Illegal Drugs Summit 2025.

The health secretary has consistently been candid about his drug history and his long-term involvement in recovery programs.