Jared Leto opens up about the impact of being exposed to drugs from a ‘very, very young’ age

Trigger warning: this article contains discussions of drug addiction

Jared Leto has given an intense interview, with the musician and actor revealing how being exposed to drugs from a ‘very, very young' age affected him.

The singer had a pretty unconventional childhood and was surrounded by artists – which later influenced his own drug use.

Apple Music

Reflecting on his early life, the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman revealed he knew what weed smelled like as a little kid.

During his appearance on Apple Music, he told Zane Lowe: “I grew up in an environment where there were drugs around. I knew what the smell of weed is as a very, very young kid."

While his creative talent was nurtured from an early age, this encounter with drug culture had a lasting impact on young Leto.

Getty/Dia Dipasupil

The A-Lister even admitted that he became increasingly curious about experimenting as he grew up.

He told the former Radio One DJ: "I was always interested in drugs. I was always interested in an experience. I was always interested in taking some risk.”

Although he acknowledged that many people feel this way when they're young, things took an increasingly dark turn as he entered art school.

In fact, Leto even joked about being a ‘professional drug user’ and ‘not a bad [drug] dealer’ during his studies.

Having fallen into addiction, the 51-year-old revealed that he eventually had an ‘epiphany’ about his drug use.

Getty/Joseph Okpako

Realising the murky fate that could await him, the singer had a sudden ‘moment of clarity’ and finally recognised that he wanted more out of life.

"I had a moment of clarity, that's what they call it,” he confessed, adding: “I knew that I wanted to hopefully accomplish things in my life that I was proud of, to do something special with my life.

“There were two paths that I could take in life. I had an epiphany, a sudden moment of clarity and I took that path and I've had very close friends that didn't. And they're not here anymore. Many.”

Eventually, Leto would use his pain as part of his art, with the actor appearing as tortured heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in the critically acclaimed Requiem for Dream.

In the years following, he’s since encouraged others to seek help for issues relating to mental health.

If you've been affected by the contents of this article and are looking for confidential and anonymous information related to drug addiction treatment you can call American Addiction Centers on 406-602-0539 available 24 hours seven days-a-week.