UN REPORT ASSAILS POP CULTURE

VIENNA---The United Nations' antinarcotics organization said Tuesday that
pop stars and popular culture were threatening young people by glamorizing
the use of sllegal drugs.

In its annual report on global drug abuse the organization, the
International Narcotics Control Board, also criticized a decision to award
a gold medal at the Winter Olympics to a Canadian snowboarder who tested
positive for marijuana.

The board's chief, Hamid Ghodse, complained at a news conference to
introduce the report about how drug use was portrayed in popular culture.

"The fashion industry coined the term 'heroin chic,' and certain pop stars
have made statements to the effect that the recreational use of drugs is a
normal and acceptable part of a person's lifestyle," Mr. Ghodse said.

While declining to identify specific stars, he referred to a band leader
who made positive comments about the manufactured drug Ecstasyj and to "a
middle-aged member of a rock band who said many of their greatest hits were
inspired by cannabis.''

Paul McCartney said last month that marijuana was the creative force behind
the Beatles' album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Mr. Ghodse urged governments i'to abide by their legal and moral obligation
and to counteract the pro-drug messages of the youth culture to which young
people are increasingly exposed."

The 75-page annual report lists drug problems worldwide, and makes
recommendations on strategies for fighting abuse around the world.

Mr. Ghodse said the decision not to strip the Olympic snowboarder, Ross
Rebagliati, of his medal would serve only to make marijuana more attractive
to young people.

"The decision signifies that the use of cannabis is acceptable and normal
even for a gold medalist and that is sad," said Mr. Ghodse.

The snowboarder was allowed to keep his medal after he argued before the
Court of Arbitration for Sport that a positive test for marijuana in his
blood resulted from his inhaling secondhand smoke. The court reinstated the
medal because of a legal technicality.

The UN anti-drug chief also criticized the news media, saying they should
be more responsible about reporting on efforts to legalize drugs, and
assailed companies that he said promoted drugs "subliminally" in their
advertising campaigns. He also warned that the Internet had made
information about drugs more available.