Drew Barrymore joked about her involvement in Nancy Reagan’s anti-drug “Just Say No” campaign on this morning’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.
It all started when Barrymore pulled up an old photo of “Drew Crewer” Valerie Bertinelli in the 1980s.
“When I see that, I immediately think, ‘That person has a swollen face and should focus on self-care.’ But hey, that was back in the ’80s. I can’t even remember that time,” remarked Bertinelli. She shared feeling guilty for a while about the things she tried out when she was younger.
Barrymore, who has been vocal about her struggles with substance abuse during her teenage years, humorously commented, “That’s such a classic term from an ABC after-school special,” referencing the popular TV series that addressed various social issues impacting teenagers.
The actress mentioned to Bertinelli that she had a role in an episode titled “15 and Getting Straight.” This particular episode from 1989, which also starred Corey Feldman, focused on a rehab facility for troubled youth managed by former addicts.
“By the way, I was also the ‘Just Say No’ girl with Nancy Reagan,” Barrymore said, before playfully adding, “Until I just said yes.”
However, Barrymore had seemingly already experimented with drugs by the time she became the face of the former First Lady’s “Just Say No” campaign in 1987. The actress said in a February 2024 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show that she was “smoking at nine [and] doing drugs at 11.” She was ultimately treated for a drug and alcohol addiction at a Los Angeles institution when she was only 13.
“I forgive us [for] all of that,” Bertinelli told Barrymore on today’s episode. “We coped the way we knew how to cope with a really challenging, strange life. And also, we have to start giving ourselves grace for just trying to learn through stuff.”
Barrymore added, “I bet we hurt ourselves more than we hurt others.”
The Drew Barrymore Show airs on weekdays on CBS. You can check the website for local airtimes.
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