28 February 2002 (WENN) 

Charlie Sheen knew it was time to check into rehab for his drink and drugs problems when Western legend Clint Eastwood told him to. Sheen thought he was attending his father Martin Sheen's birthday party in 1990, but it turned out to be a gathering of concerned friends and relatives all trying to persuade Charlie to sort out his troubles.

He recalls, "They went around the room and gave me reasons why I needed to be sent away. I was on the fence. The straw that tipped me over was when dad said I had a phone call. It was Clint Eastwood. He said, 'It's only for 30 days. Then you get the rest of your life. Go get better.'" Unfortunately, that spell in rehab didn't help Sheen kick his bad habits for good. 

He adds, "I didn't go to meetings. I didn't read the book. I thought, 'Do a year, get everybody off your back and sneak back into your old lifestyle.'" 

Martin Sheen Seeks Tough Drug Courts

27 July 2000 (WENN) 

Actor Martin Sheen insists the courts need to deal harshly with addicts - even though his son Charlie has a history of drug abuse. Sheen suggests a potential new law would send as many as 37, 000 Californians a year into drug treatment programs rather than jail. "I've seen how devastating drug addiction can be. Drug addicts need to be held directly accountable by the court with real sanctions, " 

Sheen said in a statement declaring his opposition to Proposition 36, a voter-initiated measure on California's ballot in November. Proposition 36 proponents claim the measure includes plenty of tough penalties for people who founder in treatment programs. 

If voters pass the measure, people convicted of drug possession or being under the influence of drugs would be sentenced to attend a year or more of drug treatment. But Sheen says the ballot measure would decriminalise "dangerous and highly addictive drugs like heroin, crack cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine." Charlie Sheen was hospitalized for a drug overdose in May 1998. He was ordered into a rehabilitation program after his father reported the overdose to the judge.