Drugs & Alcohol

Ralo may soon benefit from a clemency program currently in the works under the Biden administration ... according to activist Weldon Angelos, who's been pushing for the rapper's freedom.

Weldon, a cannabis and clemency advocate, joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday, and said the White House reached out to him about a clemency program it's putting together that would primarily focus on cases with harsh sentences for non-violent marijuana offenses.

Ralo -- whose real name is Terrell Davis -- could become a primary beneficiary of the program, if it comes to fruition. The rapper was busted in 2018 with 444 pounds of weed on a private plane. He's been locked up ever since ... and faces up to 8 years in prison on conspiracy charges.

Weldon's been actively calling on the powers that be to grant the rapper clemency, given the laws on weed have changed exponentially over the last decade. It's now legal, in some form, in more than half the states ... although it's still illegal federally.

And, Weldon's main point is this ... Ralo's being punished "for violating the same federal statute many entrepreneurs and corporations violate every day in 36 states across the country, who are not subject to federal prosecution."

Drake, 2 Chainz, T.I. and Killer Mike are others joining Weldon's push as well. In fact ... they all attached their name to a letter Weldon sent to the Biden admin asking for clemency.

Weldon's been exactly where Ralo is -- he got a 55-year sentence in 2004 for $900 of ganja, but President Obama granted him clemency in 2016. He's crossing his fingers Biden will do the same for Ralo and many others.

Xzibit is learning a hard lesson about the rules of engagement when it comes to selling weed, and rule #1 seems to be ... don't name your company after a chemical weapon.

The rapper/entrepreneur's company -- Napalm Cannabis -- has been dragged online because its name is a sore reminder of a chemical agent that was used in firebombs during the Vietnam War ... firebombs that killed and maimed innocent citizens, including the little girl whose photo became a symbol of the horror of the United States' involvement in the war.

Napalm was also used against Japan in WWII. Its use on civilians was banned internationally in 1980 by the U.N.

Customers of The Higher Path dispensary were deeply offended by the name, not to mention one product in particular -- a pre-rolled joint known as "The Grenade." Seems people didn't like the cavalier reference to deadly weapons of war.

As Asian hate crimes are on the rise ... the name conjures up images that should not be celebrated.

As for how this product line could even make its way to digital shelves in the first place -- Higher Path is chalking it up to ignorance and a lack of diversity. HP says, "As an entirely-white marketing team that lacks knowledge or trauma surrounding this weapon, we didn’t realize how violent and ignorant it was to promote such a brand/product. That’s on us." Fact is ... plenty of white people also knew the misery napalm caused.

"OutDaughtered" star Michelle "Mimi" Theriot should be able to get the stink of her DUI arrest off her ... if she can obey court orders for a year.

Mimi's entered a diversion program stemming from her October DUI bust in Texas. It's 1-year community supervision for first-time offenders ... and Mimi's happy with it.

According to Theriot's agreement with the DA ... she can't drink alcohol or use controlled substances for a year. In fact, she has to stay clear of bars. She must also complete 24 hours of community service, along with a DWI education program.

And, there's more. Mimi must submit to random drug testing. And, the kicker ... she can't break any laws. If she checks all the boxes, her case will be dismissed.

We broke the story ... Grandma Mimi got arrested in League City, TX after cops say she was swerving on the road and was slow to stop when they tried pulling her over.

During the stop, cops say there was a strong odor of perfume wafting from her SUV ... something cops say is common for people trying to conceal odors.

DMX is clinging to life in an ICU unit with little brain function, but a few family members who have visited the rap icon are not giving up.

Family sources tell TMZ, X's fiancée, Desiree Lindstrom, and mom, Arnett Simmons, have been allowed into the ICU to visit DMX, though he is not responsive. As we reported, family sources tell us some of his kids are coming to visit as well and are hopeful they will be allowed in.

TMZ first reported the OD and the fact he has limited brain function ... the result of oxygen deprivation after his OD late Friday night. One source with direct knowledge told TMZ the prognosis does not look good.

Nevertheless, the rapper's family is not giving up. DMX suffered a heart attack during the OD, and family members are holding out hope when the inflammation subsides his heart will restore itself. Of course, that does not have an impact on brain function.

DMX suffered a drug overdose Friday night and is currently in the hospital ... and the prognosis is not good.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ, the OD occurred at his home at around 11 PM. Our sources say the overdose triggered a heart attack.

DMX was rushed to a hospital in White Plains, New York and is in the critical care unit. We're told he has "some brain activity." Another source says he's in a "vegetative state" and doctors have cautioned he may not make it.

As we have reported over the years, DMX, who was the cornerstone of the Ruff Ryders label, has battled substance abuse and has been to rehab several times. His last rehab stint back in 2019 came after he completed a 12-month sentence for tax evasion.

At the time, we were told DMX hadn't relapsed but checked himself into rehab out of fear he might again, as he felt temptations to use creep up on him again.

DMX made his return to the stage following rehab in December 2019 when he hit Hakkassan in Las Vegas, chatting it up and taking photos with fans before he hit the stage.

During the Vegas show, he took a moment to tell fans, "When you fall down, get back up, everyone here has been through some s**t and you never know what God is willing to do for you until you need him to do something for you."

Last we saw him perform was in July 2020, when X faced off with Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle which saw more than 500k viewers tune in, proving he still had an incredible ability to bring an audience.

We will, of course, update as information becomes available regarding his current situation.

Even Snoop Dogg could learn a thing or 2 about marijuana from Greg Kelly -- that is IF you buy the Newsmax host's "don't do drugs" story ... but almost no one does.

Kelly is telling what he views as a cautionary tale about pot, claiming "SMOKING WEED (aka GRASS) is NOT a good idea." Okay, get past his use of the term "grass" ... he's a man of a certain age, after all.

Anyway, Kelly claims he "toked up" back in the day with some friends in Kentucky "and woke up 4 days later in Nairobi, Kenya. With no idea what happened." Say whaaaat, Greg???

Based on Twitter's response, the news anchor's marijuana warning went up in smoke. Very few people believe this actually happened, or ... if it did happen we've got a newsflash for Greg -- that wasn't weed you were smoking, bro!!!

Kelly even claims his alleged half-baked experience was worse than anything that President Biden's son, Hunter, went through. ICYMI ... Hunter just opened up about his crack addiction in a new memoir.

As for what the hell Greg "Smokey" Kelly might have really been puff puff passing? Well, he might wanna re-watch "Friday."

Now when friends ask, "how high?" ... just say Greg Kelly high. Thanks for the warning, Smoke Dog!

Lil Xan is bringing the beef to Supreme Patty ... throwing a drink and igniting a wild bar brawl.

The rapper was performing at Treehouse Rooftop Lounge in Fort Myers, FL when things got heated in the VIP section. Our sources say Xan and Internet prankster SP exchanged some heated words -- you can see Xan was up on a stage or platform while he and Patty jawed at each other.

But, when Xan threw his drink at Supreme Patty, around 1:30 AM Sunday, the talk stopped and Patty came charging right at Xan before getting pulled back.

As for what set them off, Lil Xan claims Supreme Patty tried mooching off his group's bottle service -- and Patty says he was just defending himself after getting a drink thrown at him.

We're told the cops weren't called and both parties left shortly after the scuffle.

Derek Chauvin's defense in his murder trial -- claiming George Floyd died from a drug overdose -- is similar to the tactic used in Rodney King's trial ... but civil rights attorney Ben Crump says it's a shameful attempt to distract jurors.

Ben joined "TMZ Live" on Monday and sounded not so surprised Derek Chauvin's defense zeroed in on Floyd allegedly being under the influence at the time he was killed ... rather than the ex-cop pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes.

Ben's adamant, whenever a white police officer kills a Black man in America the default strategy's to try every trick ... including assassinating Floyd's character.

You'll recall during King's federal civil rights case in 1993 ... the defense for the LAPD cops standing trial described King as a "PCP-crazed giant" who practically invited the beatdown. It's hard not to draw the parallel with what Chauvin's defense attorney laid out in court Monday morning.

Ben's hopeful America's grown up since King's senseless beating that sparked the 1992 L.A. riots. He's also hopeful that since Trayvon Martin and Eric Gardner's deaths America's now more conscious and aware of this issue of injustice based on the color of someone's skin.

Senator Steve Daines seemed a little too nostalgic over what he described as homegrown American meth -- which was apparently ruined when Mexican cartels started infiltrating.

The Montana legislator was one of 18 U.S. Senators who were down at the southern border this past week -- surveying what they're calling one of the biggest crises facing the country today ... this in light of the fact President Biden hasn't been down there himself just yet.

Sen. Daines stepped to a podium Friday and delivered remarks about how the issue of illegal immigration -- and the ramifications of that -- have affected his state. In a bizarre train of thought, he said one of the hits Montana has taken from this is ... more potent/fatal meth.

No, we're not kidding ... the guy appeared to be harkening back to a time in Montana when meth was American-made, and not nearly as strong as it is today, via Mexican drug lords.

It almost sounded like he was saying, "Remember good old-fashioned American meth?" That's certainly the vibe, anyway -- and you can even see some of his comrades chuckling behind him, including Sen. Mike Lee ... who's looking around with a major WTF face.

The Republicans down there now have been cruising along the Rio Grande River and putting on a big show at different border sites ... claiming things are bad as the surge of migrants continues at a startling pace. The problem is certainly real, there's no question about that ... but their song and dance demonstration is a bit silly. They're also kinda reveling in this visit a bit too much, we'd argue, taking photos of themselves in boats with bulletproof vests.

There's also Ted Cruz's live, on-the-scene video ... which has also made the rounds. He's reporting from the banks of the Rio Grande, and claims to have seen Mexican cartels sneaking in with his own eyes -- saying they heckled him as they passed.

Jim Jones is feeling really good about his home state legalizing marijuana, and not just for the buzz -- he's encouraging business-minded folks to ride this weed wave into the future.

The Bronx rapper tells TMZ ... making recreational cannabis legal is long overdue in the Empire State, and he's happy people won't have to worry about ducking cops ... just for smoking weed.

Jim seems even more excited about the economic aspect of the legalization, which is expected to be voted into law next week. Experts believe marijuana has the potential to become a $4.2 BILLION industry and create tens of thousands of new jobs in the state.

In fact, Jim likens this era to the gold rush, the dot-com boom or cryptocurrency -- but now it's cannabis that could make fortunes for industrious private citizens.

More importantly, JJ says the trend of legalizing pot is a clear sign those who've been incarcerated for marijuana-related crimes should be freed. Hell, Jim's all for hooking them up with marijuana-industry jobs when they're released!

Demi Lovato had a gut-wrenching, emotionally-charged reaction as she filmed her music video for "Dancing with the Devil," and TMZ has obtained the dramatic video.

Demi co-directed the music video with Michael D. Ratner, which they shot in the last week. The scene is a hospital setting, with Demi in a bed hooked up to all sorts of monitors -- mimicking the fight of her life after almost dying from an OD.

Production sources tell TMZ, Demi surprised everyone by saying she wanted to go off script and freestyle. Once the cameras were rolling, she began lip-syncing the song and began to sob uncontrollably.

As the song -- which was released Thursday night -- chronicled her journey as she lied about her addiction, her emotions got more and more intense.  At one point you hear Ratner say "Into camera" ...  Demi gazed into the lens and the sobbing became primal ... you can feel it even though you don't hear it.

Brett Favre says his rock-bottom moment came right after winning the Super Bowl in 1997 ... admitting his addiction to painkillers nearly cost him his life.

The NFL Hall of Famer opened up on his battle with pills on "Bolling With Favre" on PodcastOne with guest Dr. Phil this week ... saying he first got addicted in 1994 after suffering an injury.

Favre started taking 2 pills a day ... which led to teammates helping get him more and more painkillers "to a point where I was basically taking in 2 days, a month's prescription, which is crazy."

Favre says he even suffered 2 seizures due to complications from his increased pill intake in 1995, which forced him to come clean with his addiction.

Despite a 75-day stint in rehab, Favre's addiction didn't end until after winning 3-straight MVP awards AND the Super Bowl in 1997 ... when he "was as low as I could possibly be."

That's the moment he knew he had to kick his addiction for good, saying "I said it's one of two things -- I die, or I flush these pills down the toilet."

"I sat by the toilet for two hours," Favre said. "Eventually, I dumped the pills in the toilet, flushed them and I almost wanted to kill myself because of doing that."

"I could not believe that I've actually done that and I was so mad at myself because now what was I gonna do?"

Demi Lovato says she should have died weeks before her near-fatal overdose, because she was using a frightening list of hard drugs when she relapsed in 2018.

Demi reveals the night she ended 6 years of sobriety, she began experimenting with drugs she'd never tried before ... including meth, and she mixed it with molly, cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and oxycontin. That's all in one night.

She says, "That alone should have killed me." But it didn't, and Demi says weeks later she was introduced to heroin when her dealer didn't have her usual "Coke and Xanax" cocktail for her.

Eventually, Demi says she was "physically dependent" on the drugs, while also abusing alcohol and hiding it all from the people around her.

It all led to her OD on July 24, 2018, which as we've reported ... left her 5-10 minutes from death.

Demi says she was smoking heroin that night, not injecting it, which added to her surprise when she woke up in the hospital. However, she admits she had used needles in the past too ... just not that night.

As you know ... heroin and fentanyl-laced painkillers likely caused Demi's OD, and in her new docuseries, "Dancing with the Devil," she and her family detail how a team of doctor's saved her life.

In fact, her stepdad says if not for Demi being placed on a dialysis machine ... she likely wouldn't be here today.

Bobby Brown Jr.'s drug-related death raised a lot of red flags with the police ... which is exactly why we're told they opened a criminal investigation that's now in the hands of prosecutors.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... the LAPD began looking at this as a possible crime pretty much from the outset due to the fact narcotics were involved, not to mention the specific type ... Percocet and coke. Officers quickly caught on to the drugs after talking to people Bobby was around shortly before his body was found.

We're told cops know street drugs like that are often cut with fentanyl -- which is cheap and easily hooks users. Sure enough ... that turned out to be the case for Bobby Jr. A toxicology test did, indeed, find the lethal substance in his blood.

The case is now in the hands of the L.A. County D.A.'s Office to determine if criminal charges should be filed or if the case should be kicked back to cops for additional investigation. We're told no arrests have been made ... yet.

Our sources say investigators interviewed Bobby Jr.'s girlfriend and other witnesses who saw him before his death. We're also told there were no drugs or paraphernalia found at the scene when his body was recovered.

We broke the story ... Bobby was found dead in his home in November. Like we mentioned, an autopsy showed he died from a toxic combination of alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl. His death was listed as accidental.

This is the second child Bobby Brown has lost -- and the second to have drugs found in their system. Bobbi Kristina was pulled off of life support following a bathtub accident in 2015. She, too, had cocaine and alcohol in her system.

Of course, his late wife, Whitney Houston, also died a drug-related death ... she had drowned in a bathtub, and cocaine was listed as a contributing factor.