People - Reporting of Celebrity Drug Use - Opinions wanted!

[SH]

Dear all,

I am a student who is currently doing a dissertation on the reporting of celebrity drug use in the British Tabloid media. I am looking for opinions on the question below and I would be extremely grateful for anything you have to say on the matter. I would like to know if you feel any negatives of drug use are conveyed and if the reporting has any potential influence over the 'everyday' persons potential drug use.

I have pasted my hypothesis and a brief introduction below. Fell free to PM me if you have any opinions that you may not want to post, or if you want to talk more in depth about the issue.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

Hypothesis

Question: In the reporting of celebrity drug use in the British tabloid newspapers are the negative consequences portrayed to their readers holding a potential influence?

Opening/Background Introduction

‘Boon and Lomore’s 2001 study into admirer-celebrity relationships amoung young people reported that 75% of young adults had at some time in their lives had a strong attraction to a celebrity, and 59% of the young people under study stated that their idols had influenced some aspect of their attitudes and beliefs.’ – The effects of drug use by celebrities upon young people’s drug use and perception of use. Karl Witty NCCDP Researcher – Drug prevention

There is increasing concern about how young people are influenced by the reporting of celebrity drug use. Past studies have shown that a percentage of young people idolise celebrities and celebrities hold an influence on their lives.

With reports of celebrity drug use becoming more prominent in today’s media then the question has to be asked whether this reporting holds some kind of responsibility to influencing their potentially venerable readership?