Heroin has crossed my mind: Brand (From Knutsford Guardian)

Heroin has crossed my mind: Brand

8:34pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Russell Brand has admitted that he is still tempted to take heroin.

The 37-year-old comedian and former drug addict was speaking ahead of his show, Give It Up For Comic Relief, being held at Wembley to raise awareness of drug and alcohol addiction.

He told Channel 5 News that he was inspired to organise the event in memory of Amy Winehouse, who he believed could have been saved if she had received the right support.

Speaking about drug use, he said: "It's a natural state for me to be on drugs. When I'm not taking drugs, you know it's a little bit edgy for me.

"Recently I had an experience that was a little bit stressful, a week or two ago, and I thought 'Ah God, it wouldn't half be nice to have some heroin and just relax', but then I realised it would come at a terrible social consequence."

Russell, who admits to having been "a hopeless drug addict", continued: "I was inspired to put this concert on because of the death of Amy Winehouse, now although she was a very, very brilliant woman, in another sense she was just an ordinary drug addict/alcoholic.

"If her death highlights this issue and highlights that it is an issue that has a solution, then I think it isn't entirely in vain."

He said that the singer could have been saved "with access to the right information and the right support".