The United Nations has warned that dealing with celebrities too leniently over drug offences sends out the wrong message. Does celebrity drug use influence impressionable young people?

 

The drug problems of celebrities like Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty have been well documented in the press.

 

But Philip Emafo, president of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), claims that celebrities are not given tough enough sentences over drug use.

 

He said that news of celebrities taking drugs glamourised the use of narcotics. He feels public figures should be dealt with more harshly in order to set a more realistic example of the consequences of drug abuse to young people.

 

Does celebrity drug taking influence young people? What should be done about the glamourisation of drug use? Is there a double standard for celebrities? Should celebrity drug users be dealt with more harshly?

 

Source: BBC news

 

I don't think the hideous state of Amy Winehouse who looks worse these days than the tramps that frequent West End shop doorways encourages anyone to take drugs, infact Winehouse should be a living advert as to why people shouldn't take them

 

But yeah with Pete, Amy, Kate Moss getting away with drug stuff were that the ordinary guy in the street they would be doing time so yes it sucks

Maybe they should get a large fine and community service then if they misuse again then JAIL!

 

I think they do get off lighty. What about Paris Hilton when she was ment to be in jail for drink driving. She only stayed there for a couple of days then left!!

Paris was putting other people's lives at danger and therefore should definitely have been banged up for a lot longer. I have a feeling the Hilton chequebook was opened quite a few times to arrange that one.

 

If celebrities are caught in possession then yeah they should be dealt with in the same way as anyone else. Kate Moss being photographed is not a chargeable offence in my opinion. The photographer should also have been arrested for trespassing.

 

We need to be careful here though - if we'd been too harsh on celebs in the past then think how many fewer Beatles, Pink Floyd and Rolling Stones albums we'd have had? That said, Oasis might not have gone so $h!t if they'd been banged up for a few months while recording Be Here Now.