For Sandy>Drug use in the Elvis circle

[voldto]

i came to think about this when watching the elvis by the presley clip where priscilla claims she and elvis tried LSD once (watching a fishtank and getting freaked out).
I was wondering about the usage of drugs and alcohol both by Elvis himself and the crowd around him.
I'm not talking here about Elvis self-medicating but the party aspect of drug use.
Being the 70's, did some of the people smoke weed or do other recreational drugs? and how about alcohol? was there party nights where people got stoned/drunk?
Or was Elvis pretty much anti so that if there was any smoking or drinking , people didn't do them when Elvis was around or try to hide any usage from the group?

[DutchLA]

i came to think about this when watching the elvis by the presley clip where priscilla claims she and elvis tried LSD once (watching a fishtank and getting freaked out).
I was wondering about the usage of drugs and alcohol both by Elvis himself and the crowd around him.
I'm not talking here about Elvis self-medicating but the party aspect of drug use.
Being the 70's, did some of the people smoke weed or do other recreational drugs? and how about alcohol? was there party nights where people got stoned/drunk?
Or was Elvis pretty much anti so that if there was any smoking or drinking , people didn't do them when Elvis was around or try to hide any usage from the group?

I can only talk about what I saw when I was actually around. Wasn't around for the LSD thing but have heard plenty about it.

It was very common for the boys to haul out the little pills once Elvis had gone to bed - they'd pass stuff around to the girls that were left (usually their dates etc.) and if they smoked weed, they went out back around the pool. never saw them do either around Elvis and I doubt he would have cared about the weed frankly but one time he had, everyone presumed, gone to bed for the night, when one of the guys started passing out some pills (they said they wouldn't do anything so we passed - if it's not "gonna do anything" why take it? Next thing we hear Elvis' bedroom door open up and Elvis coming down the hall not looking very happy at what was going on.

Long story short - he told the girls to all leave, ditto with the guys except for the one that was spending the night at the house that evening and, I'm para-phrasing here but "I don't care what you do in your own homes but DO NOT hand out that stuff in my home-I'm responsible for everyone in this room" now get out. I don't know if he was angry because they were trying to hide doing it from him or what but the man was not any too pleased. Only happened that one time (him finding out) that I know of.

As for the drinking - Elvis didn't drink really. Maybe a bloody Mary once a year or something. SOme of the guys were heavy drinkers however but if they were "on call" they didn't drink. There was always one MM who would be designated to be in charge which meant they better be alert. They took turns with that. Did I make that sound more confusing than it needed to be?

[kuenzer]

No, quite clear and interesting.

[Xaykev]

Sounds like if Elvis were against the pills, which we know he wasn't. It certainly is a paradox. Don't misunderstand, I belive your story 100%, but in a way it doesn't make sense. Elvis opinion about alcohol was no surprise though.

[N880EP]

Sounds like if Elvis were against the pills, which we know he wasn't. It certainly is a paradox. Don't misunderstand, I belive your story 100%, but in a way it doesn't make sense. Elvis opinion about alcohol was no surprise though.

EP was against illegal, recreational drug use. So long as there was a legit medical reason for the drug and it was coming from a Doctor, then it was OK (in EP's eyes).

It all comes down to rationalizing (you need not look any further than EP's misguided devotion to his PDR's) and reaction formation.

EP suffered from the same addictive and emotional tendencies as his mother (Smith side of the family). Both also turned to chemical intake to soothe their demons (this is also one reason EP was against alcohol). In EP's case, the medical dosing progressed to heavier and heavier chemicals . . . . culminating in the horrors of iatrogenic addiction.


N8

[Xaykev]

Sounds like if Elvis were against the pills, which we know he wasn't. It certainly is a paradox. Don't misunderstand, I belive your story 100%, but in a way it doesn't make sense. Elvis opinion about alcohol was no surprise though.

EP was against illegal, recreational drug use. So long as there was a legit medical reason for the drug and it was coming from a Doctor, then it was OK (in EP's eyes).

It all comes down to rationalizing (you need not look any further than EP's misguided devotion to his PDR's) and reaction formation.

EP suffered from the same addictive and emotional tendencies as his mother (Smith side of the family). Both also turned to chemical intake to soothe their demons (this is also one reason EP was against alcohol). In EP's case, the medical dosing progressed to heavier and heavier chemicals . . . . culminating in the horrors of iatrogenic addiction.


N8

Yes, but Elvis couldn't be 100% against illegal drugs. He did try LSD, he did smoke marihuana (Larry Geller tells this in his book), and he also tried cocaine (some times sniffing it, Sonny West says this in Marty Lacker's book). I know, he probably didn't do this type of drugs on a regular basis, but still, if he was 100% against it, he wouldn't touch that stuff.

[N880EP]

Yes, but Elvis couldn't be 100% against illegal drugs. He did try LSD, he did smoke marihuana (Larry Geller tells this in his book), and he also tried cocaine (some times sniffing it, Sonny West says this in Marty Lacker's book). I know, he probably didn't do this type of drugs on a regular basis, but still, if he was 100% against it, he wouldn't touch that stuff.

EP was using harder and better stuff, simply because he could afford it / had access (eg: Dilaudid, etc.).

Much like his mother Gladys died just when her son was able to give her all that her heart desired / she deserved . . . . it still wasn't enough for inner peace. EP walked the same road later in life; he gave his fandom / the world mountains of pleasure (which is why he is still remembered and we are all here) . . . . . and (in EP's eyes) the fame gave him "a mountain" in return.

..

It's always the music, that deep emotional connection, . . . and so much more.


N8

[patricia66]

I can only talk about what I saw when I was actually around. Wasn't around for the LSD thing but have heard plenty about it.

It was very common for the boys to haul out the little pills once Elvis had gone to bed - they'd pass stuff around to the girls that were left (usually their dates etc.) and if they smoked weed, they went out back around the pool. never saw them do either around Elvis and I doubt he would have cared about the weed frankly but one time he had, everyone presumed, gone to bed for the night, when one of the guys started passing out some pills (they said they wouldn't do anything so we passed - if it's not "gonna do anything" why take it? Next thing we hear Elvis' bedroom door open up and Elvis coming down the hall not looking very happy at what was going on.

Long story short - he told the girls to all leave, ditto with the guys except for the one that was spending the night at the house that evening and, I'm para-phrasing here but "I don't care what you do in your own homes but DO NOT hand out that stuff in my home-I'm responsible for everyone in this room" now get out. I don't know if he was angry because they were trying to hide doing it from him or what but the man was not any too pleased. Only happened that one time (him finding out) that I know of.

Very interesting story. Do you also remember when this did happen - in the 1960s or more likely in the 1970s?

[DutchLA]

I can only talk about what I saw when I was actually around. Wasn't around for the LSD thing but have heard plenty about it.

It was very common for the boys to haul out the little pills once Elvis had gone to bed - they'd pass stuff around to the girls that were left (usually their dates etc.) and if they smoked weed, they went out back around the pool. never saw them do either around Elvis and I doubt he would have cared about the weed frankly but one time he had, everyone presumed, gone to bed for the night, when one of the guys started passing out some pills (they said they wouldn't do anything so we passed - if it's not "gonna do anything" why take it? Next thing we hear Elvis' bedroom door open up and Elvis coming down the hall not looking very happy at what was going on.

It was early 70's - I'm thinking 71 for some reason.

Long story short - he told the girls to all leave, ditto with the guys except for the one that was spending the night at the house that evening and, I'm para-phrasing here but "I don't care what you do in your own homes but DO NOT hand out that stuff in my home-I'm responsible for everyone in this room" now get out. I don't know if he was angry because they were trying to hide doing it from him or what but the man was not any too pleased. Only happened that one time (him finding out) that I know of.

Very interesting story. Do you also remember when this did happen - in the 1960s or more likely in the 1970s?

[patricia66]

Thanks, Sandi.