Scott “Wino” Weinrich Was Deported From Norway for Possession of 11 Grams of Methamphetamine
When we reported yesterday that Saint Vitus mainman Scott “Wino” Weinrich had been deported from Norway for “possession of illegal substances” we didn’t know what those substances were, although given Wino’s past and Saint Vitus’s general stoney vibe, I think most people assumed it was weed. Not so: Wino was in possession of 11 grams of methamphetamine, discovered by a customs agent as the band crossed into Norway.
The story broke via NRK, Norway’s country-owned broadcast network. Kim Kelly posted a lengthy analysis of the situation for Noisey that’s definitely worth reading, including Wino’s history with drug abuse and some personal accounts from her experiences with him on the road. It sounds like it was an up-and-down battle for Wino, who spent many years clean and sober but also recently admitted to just ending a seven-year meth binge. Says Kelly:
History repeats itself most malevolently when addiction is involved. Wino’s ongoing relationship with substance abuse has been documented by the media, by the fans who post exuberant stories about smoking with him, and by the man himself. As he mentioned in a recent interview, “I just ended (eight months ago) a seven year methamphetamine bender, which was fucking great, and fucking fun, but I wanted to live and stay out of jail for me, my loved ones, my fans and my spirit. We all know that drug is hard as hell, but I loved it. I don’t use anything now except all natural drugs like marijuana, and buttons [peyote] or ‘shrooms. I don’t do coke (it sucks now, and is different anyway), meth or heroin. I do like the occasional Norco or some codeine, but I have a healthy respect for all drugs.”
It’s worth noting that 11 grams is no small amount. Metal Injection unearthed the below photo from the bowels of the web showing what meth looks like — each of those little baggies contains one gram:
To have 11 of those indicates a seriously problem; this was not someone who kept a little on hand for a special occasion or a one-night bender. Let alone the delusion of thinking it would be a good idea to try and sneak all of that past customs.
The bottom line here is that this whole situation just completely sucks. Addiction is an absolutely wicked beast, and it hurts all that much more when someone so talented succumbs to its grasp — even moreso when that man is in his 50s, an age by which most people have left their hard-partying days behind (and, it’s also worth noting, their rock and roll days).
Wino is home in L.A. now, and we’re not sure what the future holds — whether he’ll ever be able to return to Norway (or even Europe), whether he’ll be seeking treatment, or whether he’ll fall further down the spiral. We sincerely wish the man the best and hope he can get his life straightened out as quickly as possible.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Wino’s arrest was made at an airport. The band was in fact traveling by car from Sweden and crossed at Ørje.
