Article published in Dropline.biz on February 6, 2006

‘70s Teen Idol­—Leif Garrett in Trouble with the Law

By Laurie Morton (co-authored by Dino M. Zaffina)

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your support, your love and words of encouragement. It’s time for a change and I’ve got a little bit of work ahead of me, but nothing that I can’t successfully achieve. Knowing that I have my friends standing behind me, it will make it all that much easier to be strong.

Thank you again. I love you all. Peace, love, and happiness forever.

Your friend always,

Leif

On the introductory page of his website (www.leifgarrett.net), Leif Garrett, expresses his thanks for the outpouring of support he has received since the news of his recent arrest for heroin possession.

Unfortunately, Garrett’s arrest was not a big shock to the public since he has had three previous drug arrests since smoking pot for the first time at the age of 14. A so-called friend introduced him to heroin which led to his first arrested for heroin in 1999. He went through a rapid detox, but it did not keep him from returning to the drug, even though he was scared of going to jail.

This most recent arrest landed Leif in L.A.’s notorious county jail for seven days. This was his first time behind bars and he plans on it being his last. While in jail Leif was detoxifying. He experienced sever back and stomach pains. He didn’t feel like eating and he couldn’t sleep. Leif said, “I was in a single-man cell with cockroaches.It was horrible. They tell you when to wake up, when to go to sleep. You couldn’t sleep even if you were tired because they left these fluorescent lights on all night and it was really cold air conditioning, with a little thin blanket. If this isn’t a deterrent then I do not know what is.”

His mug shot shown around the world makes Garrett lower his head in embarrassment. It reminds him how far he has fallen.  He says, “That is the bottom of the barrel.”

Garrett is very fortunate that he has his loving mother, Carolyn by his side. She was sobbing in the courtroom while Garrett faced his arraignment. Upon his release from jail, she gave him a big hug. Carolyn has always been there for Leif; she is a strong supporter.  She said, “I do love him, with all my heart, I love him.” Leif, with a warm smile, responded, “Best mom in the world.”  Carolyn puts a lot of the blame on herself. She is angry that she put too much trust in other people to take care of her only son early in his career.

Garrett has had a long battle of drug addiction. One person who has stood by his side and has helped him dig himself out from the depths of his drug problems in the past, was Desperate Housewives’ Nicollette Sheridan.  He was one of her first loves; they dated for 6 years.

Leif Garrett wants to settle down and raise a family, but first he knows that his new goal is to rid himself of his drug obsession and to remain clean.

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