Celeb drug use sets bad example

We all cheered him on as he did the impossible at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games by winning eight gold medals. Michael Phelps is in the spotlight again, but this time, it’s because he was photographed at a party in South Carolina holding a bong.

Questions are surfacing not only as to whether he will keep his endorsements and fans, but also if he will face charges on possession of marijuana. Phelps’ violation could be more severe because it is still unclear if he was smoking the drug on the University of South Carolina campus.

Sgt. Arb Nordgran with the U Police Department said charges for drug use can be more severe if the violation takes place on campus. At the U, he said drug use citations occur as frequently as everywhere else in the valley.

“We don’t have a drug problem any more than any other campus,” Nordgran said. “We’re a good community, and while you’ll always find a percentage that act out, there is the greater percentage of students that are here to get an education and mature.”

In 2008, nine citations were issued at the U for cases dealing with drug paraphernalia, and five arrests were made. The U saw 25 cases dealing with different kinds of drug citations, including calls to the pharmacy where someone obtained a drug illegally.

Marijuana possession is a class B misdemeanor in Utah, which often warrants a citation and fine. It is up to city prosecutors whether or not the offender will be arrested, but aside from its own impairing effects, marijuana is a gateway drug that often leads to the use of more dangerous substances.

Drug use is stupid because it impairs judgment and damages society. It is unfortunate when high-profile individuals, who for better or worse serve as role models, are caught engaging in stupid behaviors. It’s time for a zero-tolerance precedent to be set—yes, even for celebrities. Phelps should go sit in the pokey for a while.

http://dailyutahchronicle.com/opinion/1.1360155-1.1360155