Pink Floyd and Substance Abuse: Roger Waters Wasn’t the One Who Struggled

The most extreme substance abuse in Pink Floyd belonged to Syd Barrett, whose heavy use of LSD and amphetamines triggered a psychotic break that ended his tenure with the band. He went far beyond recreational—his dependency derailed his mental health and his ability to function as a musician.

Roger Waters, by contrast, was famously anti-drug. He has said in interviews that he never liked taking anything that made him lose control, partly because of watching Barrett self-destruct. Waters’ dependency was on control itself, not substances.

Other members had milder brushes: Rick Wright used cocaine socially, and David Gilmour and Nick Mason were occasional marijuana smokers, but none developed dependencies that affected their work or lives. The “substance abuse problem” narrative in