The morbidity and mortality from tobacco use, alcohol abuse, and drug consumption are staggering, as are the direct and indirect costs to society. These costs include violence, crime, overburdened service systems, reduced industrial productivity, and higher health care costs. Substance abuse touches every aspect of our society, and no business sector has more dynamic potential in reframing social behavior norms than show business. Our influence is so pervasive that we should be aware of it and constantly be on guard not to glamorize it. So the impact of these shows can be phenomenal.
Nobody knows it better than the stars who have struggled with the problem themselves.
One of their primary goals is to reach young people. Abuse is a real contagion, and it's affecting everybody. We need all the willpower we have for life. We need all the discipline that we can gather for life's challenges. To impede our thinking process and our abilities with chemicals is really a horrific thing to do to a life.