Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Drug Use History
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long and troubled history with drugs, including a 14-year battle with heroin addiction and persistent rumors of cocaine dealing. Even now, he admits to occasionally using hallucinogens for recreation, despite maintaining sobriety.
The 72-year-old Secretary of Health and Human Services made a casual remark recently, suggesting he isn’t fearful of germs due to his past experiences, including, he humorously claimed, “snorting cocaine off the toilet seat.” But his drug history is much more extensive.
Kennedy, a noted vaccine skeptic, once recounted that his drug use commenced shortly after his father, Senator Robert Kennedy, was assassinated during a presidential campaign in June 1968—when Kennedy was only 14. He reflected on this period, stating, “My youth lasted until I was 29,” mentioning that he was introduced to both LSD and methamphetamine by a friend during one summer in Cape Cod.
He described his initial experience: “They said, ‘Try this,’ and it was a line of meth. I took it and all my problems went away…My addiction really started. By the end of the summer, I was hitting heroin. That was my drug of choice until I was 28.”
His troubles with drugs led to a series of arrests, including a significant one in South Dakota in 1983 where authorities discovered heroin in his luggage. Consequently, he faced a drug possession conviction, resulting in a sentence that included rehabilitation and community service.
Throughout his youth, Kennedy experienced suspensions from various boarding schools for drug use and reportedly sold cocaine from his dorm room at Harvard University. He also shared drug experiences with Kirk LeMoyne “Lem” Billings, a close family friend who served as a father figure after Kennedy’s father’s death.
At one point, he contracted hepatitis C from sharing needles, a consequence of his addiction. The impact of drug use ran in his family; his brother, David, died from a drug overdose, while another brother, Michael, struggled with addiction as well.
During a speech at a drug summit, Kennedy expressed his struggle with addiction and the shame he felt, admitting, “I interpreted this as a moral failure, a character failure, which fueled the filthiness and self-loathing of this addiction.” He was arrested for heroin possession at 29, which turned out to be a wake-up call leading to mandatory rehab. This experience ultimately steered him toward environmental advocacy as he engaged in community service cleaning the Hudson River.
Kennedy claims he has committed himself to Alcoholics Anonymous since then. He stated, “I know that the only way to remain sober is to take responsibility for my daily actions,” emphasizing personal accountability while acknowledging that external factors remain out of his control.
However, according to Olivia Nuzzi’s 2025 book, Kennedy has admitted to using powerful hallucinogens, including DMT, which can induce profound hallucinatory experiences. Nuzzi recounted instances of Kennedy using DMT while ensuring his private activities remained discreet.
DMT is a psychoactive substance found in the traditional Amazonian brew ayahuasca, known for creating vivid hallucinations. This aspect of Kennedy’s life adds complexity to his role as Secretary of Health and Human Services, where he has publicly supported psychedelic treatments for trauma and depression.
His confirmation as Secretary stirred quite a bit of controversy—not only due to his past with addiction but also his qualifications for the role and his skepticism towards vaccines. As his confirmation hearing approached, his cousin, Caroline Kennedy, issued a harsh letter to the Senate, expressing concerns over his previous drug use and alleged negative influences on the family.
Regarding his light-hearted take on drug use, Kennedy made comments during a podcast with Theo Fung, sharing his lack of worry about germs from attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings during the pandemic, attributing his lack of concern to his history with drugs.
