Lily Allen's Pro-Drug Comments force Government and Anti-Drug Agencies to Respond

In a recent interview with The World Magazine, British singer Lily Allen was quoted saying, "The only story is that drugs are bad and they will kill you. You will become a prostitute or a rapist or a dealer. But that's not true. I know lots of people that take cocaine three nights a week and get up and go to work every day, no problem at all." Shortly after her suggestively pro-drug comments, Ms. Allen received backlash from many including the United Kingdom's Shadow Home Secretary, Dominic Grieve, who said that Ms. Allen's comments were "dangerous and stupid." -- He stole the words right out of my mouth. -- Not stopping there, Grieve then goes on to say that "drugs fuel crimes and wreck lives," and that Lily seemed to assume that strife and misery weren't associated with drugs, which is completely false.
When a government official goes out of their way to correct and denounce a statement made by a celebrity, what does that say? The said celebrity has power! Honestly, all I know about Lily Allen is that she is a singer whose partying supposedly* overshadows her talent and potential (*I have yet to hear one of her songs). Maybe not to me, but to people across the globe, especially in Europe, and maybe the US, Lily Allen's comments have the power to influence. They have the power to cloud the judgment of fans, followers, people who (I don't know why) look up to her. Like the British National Drug Prevention Alliance said, "When someone like Lily Allen makes these remarks she is only harming young people. We already have a major drug culture in the UK and she is affecting that."
Grant it, her comments were published in a respectively circulated publication in Europe. But, if we're being honest, it’s not it was The Times or The Sun. Also, some might argue that the only reason Lily Allen is getting this press is because she is a celebrity. However Courtney Love is a celebrity. If Courtney Love made the same comments about drugs, would you believe her, much less be influenced to experiment? I didn't think so!! But wait before you say Lily Allen is nothing like Courtney Love! Lily Allen is known and has personally admitted to have experimented with drugs. Now, this is an assumption, but we, the general public, doesn't usually trust drug users, do we?

BOTTOM LINE: Although one example, pop culture in Europe and the United States is ubiquitous in everyday life. It is considerably heightened in these two countries' cultures, compared to those around the world. People take celebrities' words seriously and consider acting on them thus forcing officials to spend time, energy, and money combating these uneducated remarks/actions. Remember you Americans and Europeans, just because someone is famous doesn't mean that they are always right...