George Michael’s Plastic Duck

George Michael told listeners to Radio Four’s Desert Island Discs that smoking dope has caused him problems but they always right themselves "like a plastic duck in a bath."

The singer spoke about his heavy use of marijuana and said he is lucky enough to have the income to support the habit.

"Do I wish I could use it less? Sure, but is it a problem in my life? No," he told programme host Kirsty Young.

He also voiced some support for Amy Winehouse, whose drug problems are getting more press coverage than those of Michael and tabloid regular Pete Doherty. He said she’s "the best female vocalist I’ve heard in my entire career" and "we should support her."

In June, 44-year-old Michael was convicted of driving under the influence of prescription drugs and ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

A couple of days before the pop star’s radio appearance, new U.K. prime minister Gordon Brown warned celebrity drug users that they’re not "above the law."

In what appears to be a veiled reference to Michael, Winehouse, Doherty and other high-profile hedonists, he criticised role models who take a "very casual attitude" and called for a campaign to take the glamour out of drugs.

Speaking at a children’s conference in London, Brown said he was determined to drive home the message to young people that drug use is "completely unacceptable."

Michael also told Radio Four that he believes a bang on the head that he suffered as a child caused his interest to switch from insects to music.

"At the age of about 8 I had a head injury and I know it sounds bizarre and unlikely, but it was quite a bad bang, and I had it stitched up and stuff, but all my interests changed, everything changed in six months," he explained.

"I had been obsessed with insects and creepy crawlies. I used to get up at five o’clock in the morning and go out into this field behind our garden and collect insects before everyone else got up and, suddenly, all I wanted to know about was music. It just seemed a very, very strange thing."