Celebrity Rehab
Celebrity drug use and rehab in exotic locations has been glamorized by TV shows like "Celebrity Rehab." This is a problem, according to the executive director of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime. Cashing in on the misfortunes of others, and making dangerous drug use seem trivial, popularizes it even more in the eyes of impressionable young people around the world.
Irresponsible celebrities and media outlets are sending the message that recreational drug use is a form of entertainment, while the life-threatening consequences are frequently ignored or minimized in the shows. Most people cannot afford the high cost of exotic rehab centers that are more like spa retreats, and these facilities do not have high success rates anyway. The message from the UN also highlighted the political and social consequences of drug use to producer countries that are seeing increases in drug related violence.