Jared Leto overcame his time as a "professional" drug abuser thanks to a "moment of clarity". 

The Requiem for a Dream actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman, 51, said he was exposed to illegal substances from a young age which made him "always interested" in drugs. 

He told Apple's The Zane Lowe Show about how his time experimenting with them grew into a frightening habit: "I grew up in an environment where there were drugs around. I mean, I knew what the smell of weed is, as a very, very young kid. 

"I remember walking by some trees, like bushes or something as a young kid, very young kid, maybe, I don't know, fourth grade or something, and saying to the other kids, 'Oh, someone's smoking pot there.' 

"They're like, 'What do you mean? What's pot?' They didn't know what that certain spice was. But for us it was pretty normal. 

"I was always interested in that. "I was always interested in drugs. I was always interested in an experience. I was interested in taking some risk, yeah. 

"I think that's probably common for people that like to experiment or explore. 

 "Addiction is a whole another part of it, of course. Taking drugs is one thing, but does it start taking you? 

"I took it for a ride, and then it took me for a ride for sure." 

The rocker added he kicked drugs at the height of his use when he had an "epiphany". 

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He said: "I had a moment of clarity. I had an epiphany. There were two paths that I could take in life. I guess is the only way I can describe it. 

"I took that path (away from drugs). I've had very close friends that didn't, and they're not here anymore. Many." 

Jared told Rolling Stone in 2016 about his drug use: "My experience with drugs? I did them, lots of them. A lot of them were really fun. There are just those few that tend to kick you in the a**. 

"I guess at some point, too, there's a decision: Is this going to be my life? I made a choice to pursue other dreams." 

"I guess that's just the kind of f***ed thing about a lot of drugs - the opportunity cost is too high. 

"Some drugs are incredible, but the risk versus reward is out of line. I just saw too many examples of what not to do."