Cleaning up showbiz of drug menace

DRUG USE AMONG celebrities is once again in the spotlight, after the arrest of pop singer Yin Xiangjie for possession of drugs. Beijing Youth Daily on Tuesday called for greater efforts from those within the entertainment industry to eliminate drug use:

As stipulated in the Decision on the Prohibition Against Narcotic Drugs, people have a duty to report any of the acts prescribed in this decision. So the admission by director Zhang Yimou that he had witnessed drug use during filming without exposing those involved has provoked much comment.

The negative social influence of public figures, especially popular celebrities and idols, breaking the law is greater than might be imagined, as their illegal behavior may be emulated by impressionable teenage followers with immature values.

Many agencies and performance groups have signed letters of commitment promising not to employ celebrities known to have used drugs. But it has also been suggested that a system should be introduced that clearly stipulates and substantially enhances the responsibilities of those in the entertainment industry.

However, drug use among celebrities is relatively covert. Therefore, it needs the cooperation of showbiz insiders to effectively battle drug use in the industry and completely eradicate this illegal behavior. This means those in the industry should not only seek to dissuade those around them from using drugs, but should also, when necessary, report the drug users to the authorities.