Popsquire

California’s Attorney General, Jerry Brown, woke up with one more reason to keep pushing his fight against prescription drug abuse.  Sadly, actor Corey Haim (Lucas and The Lost Boys) was found dead early this morning in his Los Angeles apartment, and the cause is believed to be prescription drug overdose.

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Last year’s “Big Brother” winner, Adam Jasinski, is making Richard Hatch look like an angel.  Watch!

And, everyone keeps wondering why Balloon Boy’s dad, Richard Heene, so desperately wants to be on a reality show? Opportunities, people!

Technorati Tags: adam jasinski, arrested, big brother, cbs, charged, drug dealer, legal expert, pop culture law

Mackenzie Phillips’ illegal drug use is so yesterday.  Today, it’s all about the Saved By The Bell cast.

Dustin Diamond — who filed for bankruptcy in 2001, infamously tortured Kim Locke on Celebrity Fit Club, and released a sex tape in 2006 — is giving US Weekly a sneak peek at his tell-all, Behind the Bell.   Among other things, Dustin insinuates that the cast smoked pot and that Mark Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris) used steroids.

Yup, the new formula for promoting books is to allege illegal activity.  Let’s start the countdown to defamation lawsuits filed by fellow cast members.  Fun!

Click here to watch Popsquire reminiscing about Saved By The Bell on TV Guide Network.

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Police found DJ AM with eight undigested OxyContin pills in his stomach and a ninth in his mouth, according to People Magazine.

[Pacific Coast News]

Sadly, this means that AM may have tried to swallow several pills at once, which certainly could support a suicide conclusion.  The same source claims that AM “smoked a lot of crack, barricaded the doors and killed himself.”

Popsquire’s pal and addiction specialist, Dr. Reef Karim, warns that recovering addicts must be careful about taking anti-anxiety medication, which DJ AM (understandably) was doing to cope with the guilt for surviving last year’s plane crash:

The complicated relationship between medicine, mental health and addiction was highlighted in this tragedy. As addiction is a chronic, relapsing illness and you never really “cure it”, you end up managing it and developing a support network and doing service with others in the sober community.

And anytime an addict is introduced to a medication that has abuse liability, you are taking a risk. The risk is that the medication with abuse potential may cause craving or may alter an individual’s relationship with drugs of abuse and ultimately their sobriety.

Drugs are illegal, but that’s not the worst of it for many people, including DJ AM.

[Bauer Griffin Online]

During his final days, DJ AM’s friends now confirm that he had turned back to drugs, but there also was hope of rehab.

According to the NY Post, he had been missing appointments and acting erratically in recent weeks.  It was so unlike DJ AM that his West Coast manager and recovery sponsor took a red-eye Wednesday night to confront him.  He only let his sponsor into the apartment and allegedly lit a crack pipe and popped pills in front of the sponsor.

The sponsor convinced DJ AM to check into rehab after his Friday DJ gig, but he never made it.

So sad.

Click here to read about other celebrities and drugs.

Technorati Tags: celebrities and drugs, dj am overdose, dj am rehab, dj am's sponsor, pop culture law

Another celebrity life may have been taken by drug abuse.  It’s sad, especially for DJ AM, who had claimed to be sober for years. Watch this recent interview in which he discusses his MTV show about battling addiction:

Click here to read about celebrities and drug abuse.

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Michael Douglas received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award last month, but his son Cameron may receive a lifetime prison sentence.

[Bauer Griffin Online]

Cameron is now behind bars after authorities busted him for allegedly violating the terms of his home detention by asking his girlfriend to bring him an electric toothbrush with heroin inside.  A Douglas family spokesperson says:

“The family is devastated and very disappointed in Cameron’s recent behavior. Any family who has dealt with substance abuse knows how devastating it can be.”

Warning: Growing up with rich, celebrity parents may lead to drug and alcohol abuse.  Just ask: Nicole Richie, Redmond O’Neal, Carrie Fisher, and Liza Minnelli, among many others.

At least their families can afford to pay for rehab.  Imagine how it feels for all the other families without the funds to help their addicted loved ones.

Technorati Tags: cameron douglas drug bust, carrie fisher, celebrities and drugs, celebrity kids and drugs, liza minnelli, michael douglas, nicole richie, pop culture law, redmond o'neal

Jamie Waylett, who plays wizard bully Vincent Crabbe in the Harry Potter franchise, must have used some legal magic.

Although he faced up to 14 years in a London jail for cultivating a pot farm in his mum’s house, a judge sentenced him only to 120 hours of community service.

The judge probably didn’t want to see Jamie’s career go up in smoke.

Technorati Tags: drug bust, harry potter star community service, harry potter star jail, jamie waylett marijuana, jamie waylett pot, pop culture law, pot farm

For today’s comeback collision between pop culture and law, Jason Bateman says his days of illegal drug use are behind him.

[Bauer Griffin Online]

Jason tells Details he spent most of the 90’s dazed and confused: “Booze was what would make me want to stay out all night and do some blow or smoke a joint or whatever, so shutting that off was key.”

After his wife issued an ultimatum, however, he cleaned up his act.

Congrats, Jason!  Popsquire always enjoys a good recovery and can’t wait to see you alongside Jennifer Aniston in The Baster.

Follow Popsquire on Twitter!

Watch Popsquire report about MJ on TV Guide Network.

Watch Popsquire on CNN.

Technorati Tags: alcoholics anonymous, blow, booze, celebrities and drugs, cocaine, drug use, jason bateman, jennifer aniston, pop culture law, recovery, sober, the baster

Adam Lambert may need to lawyer up!

In a preview of the infamous interview, Rolling Stone reveals that Adam: (1) admits he’s gay; (2) is “trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader;” and (3) auditioned for American Idol after a “drug-fueled Burning Man epiphany.”

Popsquire has three responses to Adam’s respective admissions: (1) duh; (2) maybe he’ll reconsider and join Drew Barrymore at the next anti-Prop 8 rally; and (3) he should be careful about admitting to engaging in illegal activity.  Just a friendly, lawyerly observation.

PS: It’s illegal to sell python skin in California.  Just a warning.

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While Farrah Fawcett is battling cancer, her son is battling addiction.

[Bauer Griffin Online]

A Los Angeles judge sentenced Redmond O’Neal to locked-down rehab for one year for two drug possession charges.  Redmond pleaded guilty last June to drug possession and, in September, police found meth in his house during a routine check-up.  As part of this sentence, Redmond will attend one-on-one counseling sessions, group counseling, and submit to random drug tests.

Next up: Redmond still faces criminal proceedings stemming from last month’s arrest when he allegedly visited an inmate with heroin in his possession.

Technorati Tags: drug possession, drugs, farrah fawcett, pop culture law, redmond o'neal, rehab, sentence

Check out this trailer for Steve-O’s upcoming documentary-style MTV special, which promises to shed light on the former Jackass star’s collisions with the law and drug addiction.

Technorati Tags: demise and rise, drugs, jackass, jail, legal troubles, mtv, pop culture law, steve-o

Jamie Waylett, who plays wizard bully Vincent Crabbe in the Harry Potter franchise, may need some legal magic.

The actor was arrested in London last Thursday after police pulled him over and allegedly found eight bags of pot in his car.  Police later searched his home and reportedly found a cannibas farm.  If convicted, Jamie can face up to 14 years in jail.

And, yes, the puns are way too easy:

Will Waylett’s career go to the pot?

He’s putting the pot in Potter.

This is not a career high.

Maybe a judge will let him off easy for being green?

Waylett’s life is going up in smoke.

He needs help, not hemp!

Technorati Tags: cannibas, drugs, harry potter, jamie waylett, pop culture law, pop possession, vincent crabbe

Coolio’s not so fantastic drug voyage continues…

[Solarpix / PR Photos]

Coolio was arraigned today in Los Angeles and pleaded not guilty on charges of felony possession of cocaine base, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor possession of a smoking device.

As a reminder, Coolio was arrested in early March when LAX airport security allegedly found drugs in his bags and the rapper grabbed one of the screener’s arms in an attempt to stop the search.  For weekend reading, check out this long list of celebs who have been in trouble with the law for drugs.

Technorati Tags: arraigned, arraingment, battery, celebrities and drugs, coolio, drugs, felony possession of cocaine, not guilty, pop culture law

No surprises here.  Matt Lauer had to ask whether Michael Phelps was smoking pot, and the Olympic hero had to dodge the question.  Of course, a seasoned lawyer could have gotten the answer out of him…

Technorati Tags: athletes, drugs, matt lauer, michael phelps on today show, pop culture law