I don't see the problem.  Are millions of little political wannabes going to start smoking because Obama does?

Let's just say they do.  Is it Obama's fault?

People need to stop palming off their personal choices and responsibilities on something so ridiculous as "well, I saw a famous person do it."  They might as well say "I'm an idiot that can't think for myself and I'm totally at the mercy of whatever media personalities and the media tells me to think."

What bothers me most about all this is the hypocrisy.  The only lesson this will teach Phelps is not to get caught.  It isn't going to stop him smoking pot, and you know what?  If the guy can win a competition high as a kite, who cares?  It doesn't change the OBJECTIVE fact that the guy is a better swimmer than most.

Maybe he can get a sponsorship with Budweiser or Marlboro to replace Kellog's.  Everybody would be just fine with that, I'm sure.  Hypocrites.

Next time you see marijuana demonized, you might want to ask yourself the question "What was that guy who was being totally obnoxious at the *fill in public event here*?  Drunk or high?"

If you answered "drunk," you are correct.  The only reason pot isn't legal is because the gov't can't figure out a way to make money from it.  Other than that it isn't any worse than having too much salt in your diet.

can companies really sponsor a president?

or am i a viper?

seriously, da razor sliced this one perfectly.  bravo!

Please know that the suspension handed down by USA swimming is nothing mroe then a slap on the wrist. Phelps was suspended from swimming in USA Swimming events for the next three months. Guess what, he was probably not going to swim any even if he was not suspended. This was his year off intensive training. So basically he was suspended from doing nothing, which was what he was going to do. Makes great PR, but has NO effect on his career or swimming abilites.

First, you are absolutely right, individuals are responsible for their own actions and Phelps should not be blamed if they start smoking pot.  But the fact is, people do get caught up in the drama and admiration of someone and will follow them and do whatever they want (think Obama ),  why do you think so many celeb mags and entertainer shows exists and the hordes of photographers follow around the rich and famous.  For the most part, people are sheep.

What Phelps did was wrong plan and simple.  It was wrong because he broke a law.  You may not agree with the law but regardless he broke it.

If a organization decides to set behaviour standards, or call them moral standards, for them members the that is their right.  I would imagine that he agreed to follow those standards when he decided to join.  Breaking laws usually fall into this area.  But sometimes even behaviour does, go out get drunk and run naked through the streets then they may decide you need some time away from the organization.  It is a free country and that goes for the organization as well.  It is not like we are talking race, religeon, politics, sex, etc here.  A side not to all of this is when people are shocked that some companies will discipline their employees for similar events.

Going back the responsibility thing.  Phelps has his own free will.  He chose to be a idiot so I have no sympathy for him.  Where was his responsibility?

yes, I am aware of some error in my writing.  I am running IE8 RC1 to test within my company and I cannot do the edit function on JoeUser

Agreed!  It's like people have no mind for free will of their owns.  Some people don't but most of us do!

And some people can do some things even while high, at least nothing that requires them to use their brain!

Interesting thought! That would probably cause a riot of negativity for the non-believers!lol!

I don't think for great PR, embarrassment is more like it, but it will soon be forgotten!

Of course it is their right to do so since they make their own policies.

Don't worry about it!

The issue here isn't whether or not pot should be legal...it isn't.  He did something illegal.  I bet if he got caught stealing, assaulting someone or some other crime he'd get suspended.

He's a kid.  He did something stupid.  He got "punished".  That's the way it should work.  I don't blame sponsors for dropping him either.  He's getting a butt load of money to just not be a screw up.  He already did the hard part at the Olympics.  Can't he just live it up without breaking laws?

This particular law is unconstitutional BECAUSE it is hypocritical.  That's my problem with it.

Yes, yes, and yes. But it would have been nice had the sponsors been more responsible with their response instead of having a knee jerk response. He did something stupid, come out and express disappointment and maybe suspend him too, or something, but pulling the plug from under him like they did, that sucks.

I really don't see our government ever making this legal, their thinking is if they do, it would have to be the same for all narcotics.  Then again, Marijuana is a narcotic isn't it because it does impair your judgement, etc.? Plus, the outcry from the Church would be deafening! 

I don't remember him getting suspended when he was caught drunk driving - which, as far as I'm concerned, is a MUCH bigger deal.

all drugs were legal in the us until about 90 some years ago.  our first laws regulating drugs had less to do with the substances themselves than collecting taxes on those which were imported (driven in no small part by anti-chinese bias).  until sometime in the late 60s or early 70s, federal law required a person possessing marijuana to have purchased a stamp as evidence that taxes had been paid (same thing with gambling earnings) with one lil catch-22: the govt wasn't issuing stamps for either reason.

the main obstacle to decriminalization is a web of international treaties requiring signatories enact anti-drug laws in their respective countries.  guess which country pretty much twisted arms and pressured the rest of the world to sign on to those?

california and other states have enacted laws easing restrictions on marijuana use (for medical purposes).  with autorization from an md, you--or anyone else-would be permitted to enter and purchase your choice of a selection of different varieties of marijuana grown expressly for that purpose.  there's one three blocks from my pad--placed conveniently between a bakery and one of the better balkan delis around. 

marijuana isn't a narcotic in any accurate sense of that term.  it's psychotropic but then so are a lotta legal substances such as chocolate.  it should be classified as a psychadelic.

He was?  I don't recall if I heard this news!

You know, I will agree with you that it is not a narcotic, i've lived in the US too long!  As a child, marijuana was largely used in my country, and still is for medicinal purposes (and other), so I do agree with that!  It's just gotten so many grey areas because of the impositions being placed on it, and also, let's face it, it does give you that 'high' so younger people being under the influence is not something that adults want.  I've had it, medicinally, my mom used to boil it and make a tea and gave it to us, truthfully, I don't remember any side effects.  It was a kind of cleansing thing and mom's know best!   I remember trying a spliff at the age of 18, so yea, some young people will experiment, it just wasn't something I liked so I never touched the stuff again!

I think the mistake a celebrity makes when they get caught in some very human transgression is the crying and apologizing for it. That just makes them look weak and pathetic and wussy (even if they really are). In the publics eye you're already screwed so ya might as well man up and not go on and kiss ass about it.

I was unaware.  Maybe he got suspended now because it wasn't his first incident of breaking the law.

Here's a story on the DUI http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/08/national/main654380.shtml

It was back a couple of years, but I don't remember a suspension.  I could be wrong, though.