A Dundee centre for the elderly has dropped Hollywood star Brian Cox as a patron amid anger about his confession he smokes cannabis.
Mid-Lin Daycare Centre chairwoman Joyce McIntosh said she was “shocked” and “disappointed” by the Dundee-born actor’s comments.
In a recent interview the 73-year-old Golden Globe winner said he first took the drug at 50 and described it as “wonderful”, adding: “I recommend it to everyone – get stoned.”
His views have been slammed by Scottish drugs misuse campaigners, who are fighting to reduce addiction in the country.
Joyce said in light of Dundee’s well-documented drug problems, the centre could no longer be associated with the actor.
She added: “Dundee is drug-ridden we just can’t support Brian’s views on cannabis.
“We are shocked and disappointed.
“I couldn’t actually believe it when I read the papers – he has a CBE and all these awards and honorary positions, and next thing, we’re seeing that he’s telling people to get stoned.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous and it’s setting a bad example for young people.”
Cox has been a patron of the Broughty Ferry-based charity for four years, after being approached by Joyce while he was filming in Dundee.
Joyce added: “I just went up to him and asked if he would like to be patron, and he agreed.
“He has never actually visited the centre, even though we have invited him lot of times.
“We do understand he’s very busy travelling around the world, but it would have been nice for our service users.
“Many of them are very advanced in age and remember him from when he was a boy. They were very excited when they heard he was patron.
“We haven’t told them of the recent developments yet. They’ll be very disappointed.”
Cox, who played wartime PM Sir Winston Churchill in 2017 movie Churchill and media magnate Logan Roy in HBO’s Succession, said he smoked cannabis where it was legal.
He added: “I am sorry to hear that Mid-Lin Day Care Centre were shocked and disappointed by my comments regarding marijuana, which were actually made in good humour.
“To clarify, I am a firm believer in the medicinal benefits of marijuana and have partaken in its use in places where it is legal to do so.
“I wish Mid-Lin the best in all their future endeavours.”
