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By Gabe Whisnant
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is going viral after saying on a podcast that he “used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats,” while discussing his decades-long recovery from addiction.
Kennedy made the comments Thursday during an appearance on comedian Theo Von’s eponymous show, This Past Weekend w/Theo Von. Reflecting on more than 40 years of sobriety, Kennedy described the daily commitment he says has kept him in recovery.
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“We’ve been in recovery together for years,” Kennedy said, noting that he and Von first met at early-morning recovery meetings before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kennedy said he made a personal vow to attend a meeting every day, regardless of his professional responsibilities.
“I said this when we came in and I said ‘I don’t care what happens, I’m going to a meeting every day,’” the HHS secretary said. “I’m not scared of a germ, I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats. I know this disease will kill me. If I don’t treat it, which for me means going to meetings every day, it’s just bad for my life,” he added.
The post has been shared by a host of prominent social media accounts, some accumulating thousands of reposts and comments. The clip on @factpostnews was viewed more than 2 million times over the course of three hours on Thursday afternoon.
RFK Jr.'s History of Drug Addiction
Kennedy has publicly detailed a long history of substance addiction that began in his youth and extended into adulthood, including a period of heroin use he says lasted about 14 years. He has acknowledged a 1983 felony conviction for heroin possession in Rapid City, South Dakota, after which he entered a treatment program and attended regular rehabilitation sessions as part of his probation conditions, a period he describes as the end of his active addiction.
The HHS leader has also spoken about his recovery journey in personal terms, crediting daily participation in 12-step and recovery meetings with sustaining more than four decades of sobriety.
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What People Are Saying
314 Action is an organization that recruits and helps elect doctors and scientists to public office. Its president, Shaughnessy Naughton, said in a statement shared with Newsweek, “But…RFK Jr. doesn’t believe in germ theory?”
Conservative podcaster Eric Daugherty posted on X, "LMFAO! Health Sec. Bobby Kennedy is HILARIOUS! Omg"
Dr. Neil Stone, an infectious-disease doctor, wrote on X, "The man in charge of US health policy."
Andrew Bates, former White House senior deputy press secretary under Joe Biden, wrote on X, "The winner of this century's 'Friend of Measles' award has more good advice to share."
The Barron Trump News commentary account posted on X, "Whether you find it funny, shocking, or just weird to hear from a sitting Cabinet official, that quote is definitely one for the books. What do you think — appropriate or out of place for a public health leader? A) Totally inappropriate B) Personal past, not a big deal C) Doesn’t matter what he says"
Updates: 2/12/26, 7:12 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
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