Opinion | Editorials
When to catch a falling star
Courts in most countries are too lenient toward celebrities' use of illegal drugs.
- Gulf News
- Published: 01:24 March 7, 2008
Should celebrities set good examples to their adoring fans? Many people would say they should, pointing to stars who smoke on film or in public.
It is believed it encourages the younger generation to take up the noxious habit and become addicted to the weed, possibly for the rest of their lives. But are the law courts setting good examples by giving insufficient punishment to celebrities who are caught with illegal drugs?
The UN says not and that sentences are too lenient to serve as a deterrent. Many members of the public agree, including parents who have tragically seen the lives of their offspring deteriorate with each drug dosage.
If drug abuse is to decline, it is the responsibility of all adults to discourage its usage, and none more so than those celebrities who achieve their fame through a fan following. If nothing else, they owe it to them.
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