It is publically known that Russell Brand's past involved an intense battle with substance and alcohol abuse, but the Brit managed to overcome his addiction issues.

So it is little surprise that the fairly outspoken Brit had a few things to say on the sudden death of Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Brand, who has been clean and sober for more than a decade, wrote a candid letter for The Guardian this week, in which he closely examines the Oscar- winning actor's heroin addiction and criticises the laws surrounding illegal substances.

The 38 year-old begins his post by addressing how the downfall of pop-culture's young stars such as Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber isn't a surprise, but the public are struggling to process the passing of "middle-aged man, a credible and decorated actor, the industrious and unglamorous artisan of Broadway and serious cinema".

However, the comedian is less sympathetic then the legions of devastated fans as he simpky states, "the man was a drug addict and his death inevitable."

Brand does not blame Hoffman for his untimely passing, but the laws that categorize addicts as criminals, "If drugs are illegal people who use drugs are criminals," he explains. "We have set our moral compass on this erroneous premise, and we have strayed so far off course that the landscape we now inhabit provides us with no solutions and greatly increases the problem."

The 'Get Him To The Greek' actor also attacked the people behind making these laws as he accuses them of "deliberately creating the worst imaginable circumstances to maximise the harm caused by substance misuse."

He also notes the nations Sweden and Portugal, who have "have introduced progressive and tolerant drug laws," and have therefore, "seen crime plummet and drug-related deaths significantly reduced."

Russell concludes by raising the point of "the troubling message behind Philip Seymour Hoffman's death, which we all feel without articulating, is that it was unnecessary and we know that something could be done."

"We also know what that something is and yet, for some traditional, prejudicial, stupid reason we don't do it."

Philip Seymour Hoffman
Hoffman died at 46 years-old