Jared Leto said he was "a professional drug user" while studying at art school.
The actor and singer, 51, revisited his unconventional childhood during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, saying that he was surrounded by artists growing up who influenced his creative pursuits as well as his frequent drug use.
"We wouldn't be here, obviously, if we didn't have that exposure to the arts, and creativity," he said, whispering "and the drugs. I grew up in an environment where there were drugs around. I knew what the smell of weed is as a very, very young kid."
Leto said he became more fascinated with experimentation as he got older.
"I was always interested in drugs. I was always interested in an experience. I was always interested in taking some risk," he said. "And I think that's probably common for people that like to experiment or explore probably some common things."
His experimentation had a downside, which Leto learned as his use escalated. While studying to be a painter, the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman said he was also "a professional drug user" and "not a bad [drug] dealer, either."
"Addiction is a whole other part of it. Taking drugs is one thing, but does it start taking you?" Leto said. "My experience was certainly one that I took it for a ride and then it took me for a ride, for sure."
His choice to alter his path stemmed from an "epiphany."
"I had a moment of clarity, that's what they call it. I knew that I wanted to hopefully accomplish things in my life that I was proud of, to do something special with my life," Leto said. "There were two paths that I could take in life … a sudden moment of clarity — to say for the third time, I guess — is the only way I can describe it. And I took that path and I've had very close friends that didn't. And they're not here anymore."
Leto previously spoke about his experience with drugs in 2016, when he told Rolling Stone that he did "lots of them."
"A lot of them were really fun. There are just those few that tend to kick you in the a**," he said. "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."