America’s top health official has made plenty of eyebrow-raising remarks over the years — but this one may require a disinfectant wipe. In a candid appearance on This Past Weekend with comedian Theo Von, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared he is “not scared of a germ” because he once “snorted cocaine off of toilet seats,” reflecting on his decades-long battle with addiction. “I know this disease will kill me,” he continued, referring to addiction.”Like, if I don’t, if I don’t treat it, which means for me going to meetings every day, it’s just bad for my life.” Protect Our Care, a non-profit fighting for affordable healthcare in the US, called for Kennedy to step down after the interview, The sky news reported.In a statement, it said he was “the most dangerous, in over his head, ill-suited person ever to lead such an important federal agency that has life-and-death power”.Brad Woodhouse, the organisation’s President, offered a one-word response: “Resign.”The confession, from the man heading up the govt’s health policy, got more pushback on social media.Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democratic representative from Pennsylvania, posted on X: “For some reason I don’t trust this guy on public health.” Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, highlighted a double standard in attitudes towards addiction.He wrote: “Just a reminder that the Trump admin calls immigrants who’ve fallen into drug addiction ‘the worst of the worst’ criminals, no matter how long ago their addiction problems.”Kennedy was open about his past drug addiction, which began after his father, also called Robert F Kennedy, was assassinated in June 1968 in Los Angeles, California.He was twice arrested for drug offences: for cannabis possession in 1970, and heroin possession in 1983. He credited the latter arrest with pushing him to get sober.Kennedy made a name for himself as a vaccine sceptic during the coronavirus pandemic.He has a history of repeating debunked claims, including linking vaccines with autism in children.
