Montel Williams recalls using celebrity status to stockpile opioids
Montel Williams has revealed how easy it was for him to acquire opioids because of his celebrity status during the height of his illicit use of the drugs.
Williams, 68, detailed his past abuse of prescription narcotics while speaking with Maria Menounos on the Tuesday episode of her podcast “Heal Squad.”
“As celebrities, we can get whatever we want,” he told Menounos, 46.
From 1991 to 2008, the star hosted “The Montel Williams Show” and traveled around the US to promote the daytime program. While on the road, he was able to get opioids by simply calling the concierge at whatever hotel he was staying at and requesting access to a doctor.
Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999 and used his condition to get drugs. He said that he would “name the set” of opioids he desired to help manage his MS symptoms, and the doctors would provide him with prescriptions.
“Back then we didn’t have oxycodone, we had things like Talwin, we had things like morphine,” he explained. “I found I could call the hotel doctor and get a 10-day prescription of any drug I wanted and they would just happily give it to me.”
“So I started stocking up,” he recalled. “There was one point in time when I was taking about 12 to 13 [pills a day].”
Williams didn’t name all of the medications he took at the time, noting, “some of this medication does have a purpose.”
He continued, “I don’t believe any of the opioids have a purpose for long-term use. They’re only a short-term use thing. That’s what they should be. That’s what they were invented for. That’s what they were created for. However, I was at the point where, the more you take, the less it works.”
Eventually, his primary doctor intervened and threatened to report Williams’ activities to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
“‘Dude, you’re done. I’m not writing you any more of these,’” Williams remembered his physician telling him over the phone.
“‘I’m literally gonna send a message off to the DEA and tell them that you are doctor hunting. I’m gonna put you on the national register, you shouldn’t get prescribed these drugs,’” his GP allegedly warned.
The doctor then suggested Williams try medical marijuana to help him manage the pain he suffered from his multiple sclerosis.
“‘If you want relief. I’ve heard from some other patients like you that this marijuana thing seems to work,’” Williams recalled the doctor saying. “‘You’re a smart guy. Look it up, figure it out.’”
“And I did just that,” Williams added.
Today, the star advocates for the use of medical marijuana to assist with pain relief and promotes the use of other hemp-based products.
