In a candid new podcast interview, Tish Cyrus has spoken publicly about using cannabis to navigate the immense emotional pain of her marriage breakdown and the loss of her mother.
A period of "twin tragedies"
The 58-year-old mother of pop icon Miley Cyrus made the revelation during a conversation on The Squeeze podcast with host Tay Lautner. She described the period as one of the most difficult in her life, marked by what she called "twin tragedies".
Firstly, her mother, Loretta Finley, passed away in 2020 at the age of 85. Finley was a central figure in the family, having lived with them during the filming of Hannah Montana and regularly attending red carpet events with her granddaughter Miley.
"She was just a massive part of our lives," Tish explained, noting her children "worshipped" their grandmother.
Secondly, her 29-year marriage to country singer Billy Ray Cyrus began to disintegrate. Tish revealed that the couple's marriage started "falling apart" not long after her mother's death. She filed for divorce in April 2022, citing a separation that began in February 2020. The divorce was finalised in 2023.
Turning to "plant medicine" for relief
Faced with this overwhelming grief and anxiety, Tish Cyrus admitted she turned to "self-medicating" with marijuana. "I've been very open that I was a major weed smoker," she stated, describing herself as a believer in "plant medicine".
She reflected that during that traumatic time, smoking cannabis "kinda numbed all that pain". She believes she was using it subconsciously to cope, stating, "I didn't even realize that I was doing it for that reason."
The strategy backfired when she tried to stop. Upon deciding to "cut out the weed", Tish found herself plunged into "full-on anxiety to the point, like, not functioning". She confessed she was unprepared for the intensity of the emotions that resurfaced.
A family history with cannabis
Tish's relationship with marijuana has been influenced by her famous daughter. In a 2024 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she revealed it was Miley who first introduced her to it a decade earlier.
This followed a near-fatal accident on Miley's 2014 Bangerz tour, where Tish escaped an exploding bus. Struggling with trauma and sleeplessness, Miley suggested her mother try the substance she had once called "the devil's drug".
The favour was returned years later. In 2018, Miley Cyrus shared that her mother had "reintroduced" her to cannabis after she had given it up, though Miley opted for a more moderated use.
Therapy and a new chapter
While cannabis provided temporary numbness, Tish credits therapy with helping her truly process her grief and move forward. "When I started therapy, and I really started talking about my life... [the therapist was] like, 'Wow'," she recalled.
She has since found happiness with Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell. The couple began dating in November 2022, got engaged in April 2023, and married that August. Tish describes their relationship as "so safe" and a stark contrast to the drama of her previous marriage.
However, she is careful to note that her journey wasn't instantly smooth. "There was no less suffering for me," she emphasised, describing the anxiety as "horrible" and lasting a long time. "I was just trying to survive," she said of that difficult year, but added she is now "so much better" and has learned how to manage her anxiety.
