Justin Bieber’s alleged drug photos might have gone viral the first week of Jan. in 2013 but a new photo released by the star of him kissing a cute cancer patient on the cheek quickly overshadowed the negative press of him smoking a blunt. Seriously. While bad news travels fast, in the eyes of adoring teenage fans, good news about the Biebs travels even faster.
MSN Now reports, “The Biebs is wrestling with alleged weed-smoking pics and grappling with tough life lessons these days. (“U get knocked down, u get up,” he poignantly explained in a tweet yesterday [Jan. 5].) But that doesn’t mean the pop star has forgotten his charitable side.” According to the mainstream media news source, “Before a Salt Lake City concert on Saturday night, the singer swung by a local hospital to visit a young, leukemia-stricken fan too sick to attend his show. He serenaded 7-year-old Millie Flamm with a round of “Baby,” her family said, and took this heartwarming Instagram pic.”
The Biebs has been the center of a media controversy that is fueling discussion about medical marijuana, marijuana laws, and the perils of teens smoking pot. He’s normally been seen in the past as a media darling — but parents who are anti-drug are upset that as a role model his image might be waning.
As a green celebrity, Justin has routinely used his star power wisely. Aside from a few instances where he flipped off paparazzi photographers who cat called him while he was out on a date with his ex Selena Gomez and a few speeding tickets, press coverage about the child star has focused predominately on his music talent or humanitarian acts for charity.
He’s advocated for animal rights by supporting PETA and by showing up to help pet stray animals at animal shelters both in the United States and Canada. As a pet friendly star, he and his girlfriend — correction: ex girlfriend — also adopted pets (not as a couple but while they were out on dates together).
As a humanitarian, he has regularly donated large sums of money to food banks in North America. As an A-List star, he has given his celebrity endorsement to non-profit organizations like the Red Cross, City of Hope, and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
When Bieber asked fans to donate $18 on his eighteenth birthday to charitywater.org, he won the respect of many adults who wondered what kind of man he was going to grow up to be. Acting unselfishly, he will continue to be a superstar.
But the pot scandals need to stop. Why? Because unless the Biebs comes out as a celebrity spokesperson for the legalization of marijuana and starts talking about the positive health benefits of smoking weed (for cancer patients and everyone else who may benefit from partaking in the drug for medical or recreational purposes), ever time a pic comes out that shows him stoned or with a joint there is going to be a controversy.
That’s the best way the kid can redeem himself as a celebrity stoner. That, and sharing more darling pics of doing the right thing — which in this particular instance was of him kissing sick kids.