Lady Gaga helps provoke drug debate
- By Richard Branson -
- Oct 04, 2012
The global edition of Metro I edited is published today. While researching for it I came across this interesting blog on Virgin Red Room about the controversy caused by Lady Gaga, who has also had the honour of guest editing Metro. She was in Amsterdam recently, when she decided to smoke cannabis onstage.
The level of outrage caused by this has slightly surprised me, after all music and marijuana have a long history with one another. With encouraging signs coming from both China and America this year, it’s a shame that some people are so quick to condemn instead of using the opportunity to continue the debate on the reformation of drug laws.
It is understandable that some parents might not want pop stars, who are idolised and adored by young fans, to promote and glorify drug use. However, it seems to me Lady Gaga's behaviour onstage that night was a lot more reasonable than that of some of the critics who have chosen to attack her.
We could be approaching a watershed moment in the movement to end the pointless war on drugs. The more people (including Lady Gaga) highlighting the logic of decriminalising drugs and providing help rather than criminal retribution for those who have problematic use, the better.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
By Richard Branson. Founder of Virgin Group
