SINGER HIT BY DRUG CLAIM

Singer and actor Whitney Houston has been found in possession of
cannabis at an airport in Hawaii, it was claimed yesterday. Houston
left on a plane before police arrived and has not yet been charged
with any offence.

According to the Hawaiian press, Houston was searched by a security
officer employed by a private firm, Wackenhut, at the Keahole-Kona
airport last Tuesday as she was about to board a plane to San Francisco.

It is understood that 15.2g (about half an ounce) of cannabis were
found.

Private security guards only have the power of arrest for breaches of
airport security rules. The police were called but took 45 minutes to
reach the airport, by which time the 36-year-old star had departed,
according to the police.

Neither Wackenhut nor Houston's publicist have commented on the
incident. Under Hawaiian drugs laws, the amount of cannabis allegedly
found could lead to 30 days jail and/or a fine of $1,000 (pounds 610).

The matter is now in the hands of the Hawaiian county police
prosecutor. Hawaiian authorities may not be anxious to pursue the
matter as the islands reputedly have a fairly relaxed attitude to soft
drugs.

The news comes as the issue of drugs and show business is under
scrutiny. It emerged last week that some television shows, such as ER
and Chicago Hope, have had their scripts submitted to the anti-drugs
unit at the White House.

If the programme contained an anti-drug message, the network was
excused from running government public service announcements in that
segment of their broadcast, thus saving the network valuable airtime.