Nope.

i'm not surprised he does it. even thoug a professional sportsman shoul think 10 times before doing something like that. even me, someone who's trying to be healthy and fit should think 10 times before... but anyway, i'm suprised he let the photo be taken.

I'm not surprised, but not because he's 23 years old. The guy sort of has a history of doing stupid things, like his underage DUI from a few years back. I don't necessarily have a problem with the use of pot because I don't see it as such a big deal, but seriously dude, you've got to recognize that you're in the public eye. Have a little discretion.

Who cares? He obviously isn't a pothead or his lungs wouldn't have been able to keep up with him during his training and competing. So what if he does it occasionally.

Surprised? No.

He's obviously new to his public figure status (not that he wasn't "known" before the Olympics, but he's really taken on a super-stardom after beating all those records). As a public figure, he's quickly learning that everything you do can (and most likely will) be nitpicked.

If he wants to keep those million dollar endorsements he'll either stop smoking and/or do it by himself or with a very small and very trusted group of friends.

If he were an actor, signer, etc. I wouldn't think twice about it. But since he's a world-class athlete, and by default a role model for young swimmers, he might want to consider repercussions of his actions from now on.

** repercussions of his PUBLIC actions

i think sometimes because their lives are so controlled and cloistered for so long athletes like this struggle when it comes to making choices in the real world.
if he'd thought for two seconds about all the sponsorship and respect he was risking he wouldn't had done it. he should have thought about what was more important in his life - i'm sure getting wasted with some people who would sell the photo to the media was not worth it.
i also wonder how the person who sold the photo sleeps at night.

He should definitely know better! He got a DUI after the 2004 Olympics and he was underage then. Only 19. So I cannot say I am shocked, but disappointed. It is not like pot is legal either. He is in the public eye now and should step up.

His biggest mistake was letting someone take a picture of him doing it! LOL. He needs to learn that any and everything he does will be scrutinized for a while.

I don't think it should be a big deal. So what? He smoked a little pot, a lot of people smoke pot and it's nothing to get into a tissy over. He should be in the next anti anti-pot commercial, because I'm sure it's not his first time with a bong and yet he's still successful. Pot doesn't screw up your life...sorry that's a tangent there because I hate how offended people are by pot. It's not bad, it's better than alcohol in a lot of ways.

I had already posted this on Pop, but here it goes again because people should know that illegal drugs are not inoffensive:

I do not think this is funny at all. Common? sure. Right? no way.
Does he or people that consume illegal drugs know where they come from?
Do they know the kind of terrorizing the drug traders cause in the countries where they bring them from?
Do they know that they are creating a demand in a product that doesn't pay taxes and creates revenue for criminals?
Yet everyone here seems to think this is funny: just another college kid whose education doesn't seem to be doing anything for his brain.
Michael Phelps and all the junkies out there can do whatever they want with their bodies; what is not right is the irresponsibility of their actions.

Can't say I approve, but I'm definitely not surprised!

Very little surprises me these days.

He's been training for the Olympics for most of his life - you can't really blame him for making dumb decisions from time to time. Yes, he is an athlete. Yes, he is a role model. Yes, he should think twice about his actions. But he's also a 23-year old guy who has made some mistakes, he just has the pleasure of having them plastered all over the media while the rest of us get to hide under a rock for a day or so until our mistakes blow over. Let him live his life. Hell, in Massachusetts possession of less than an ounce of pot isn't even illegal anymore.

It disappoints me. Surprise me? No.

"I had already posted this on Pop, but here it goes again because people should know that illegal drugs are not inoffensive:
I do not think this is funny at all. Common? sure. Right? no way.
Does he or people that consume illegal drugs know where they come from?
Do they know the kind of terrorizing the drug traders cause in the countries where they bring them from?
Do they know that they are creating a demand in a product that doesn't pay taxes and creates revenue for criminals?
Yet everyone here seems to think this is funny: just another college kid whose education doesn't seem to be doing anything for his brain.
Michael Phelps and all the junkies out there can do whatever they want with their bodies; what is not right is the irresponsibility of their actions."

Post of the day.

If he didn't want to be a role model and an inspiration to kids, he shouldn't have accepted millions of dollars of endorsements. Whether or not you think pot is serious, it's still illegal.

I'm shocked and upset that he would do something irresponsible as a role model to kids ...

But then I realize ... he is just a kid himself ... and his achievements have basically taken away a chance of him being like every other college-aged kid.

I think people should lighten up ... especially since Phelps is pretty embarrassed and upset and apologetic about it ... but it broke my heart to hear him be so hard on himself considering how young he is. Kids do make mistakes. I think he is as much a role model for coming out and apologizing for something he did on his break from training.

Bengal, to me, the term "mistake" implies that it was a split second choice gone wrong. I highly doubt this is his first time smoking pot. He's probably had lots of time to weight the pros and cons.

He is a kid who is being well compensated to be a role model.

Gabiushka - smoking pot every once in a while does NOT make someone a junkie. In fact, it was created specifically to refer to heroin users, the slang term for the drug being "junk." It's a pretty harsh term, and one that shouldn't be thrown around lightly.

And honestly, I don't see the big deal with pot. As far as I'm concerned, it's honestly no worse than alcohol, and no one would have freaked out if he'd had a beer at a party. The fact that it "creates revenue for criminals" was also true of alcohol during Prohibition, which everyone eventually figured out was a bad idea. I sincerely hope that our lawmakers wise up soon enough regarding marijuana as well.

Yawn.

I guess I'm naive but I was surprised LOL.

There is no harm in pot smoking. Alcohol and cigarettes are a hundred times more harmful than pot.

OH GOODNESS. It really doesn't surprise me that he was caught with a bong - most of the guys I know around his age have done it at least once [I certainly don't, just saying!].
This really doesn't have much to do with his swimming...the pictures were from BEFORE the Olympics. He fessed up and said he was sorry about it and that he wouldn't do it again - what else is there?

im disappointed and surprised. hes suppose to taking care of himself. and pot doesnt help. His lungs should be used winning us metals! lol

DUI, pot...He's a doofus.

If I were him, I wouldn't risk it. I mean, he's risking getting banned from the Olympics AND risking his health. Smoking anything can damage your lungs, even if you only do it every once in a while. And for any sport--but especially swimming--the health of your lungs are of utmost importance. And while pot itself is not as dangerous as many other drugs, it does carry a lot of health risks.

I never smoke pot and will never indulge in it not even once. I guess I'm naive, but I was surprised.
Isn't pot still illegal? I mean, if it's legal in US, I'd assume I'd see it being sold in convenience stores or whatever.

Then my fiancee also broke my bubble of gullibility once he told me that professional athletes (basketball players in this case) that he's met (in parties during off-seasons) in the past, do drugs (pot, cocaine, etc).

Back to Phelps, I'd have thought that he'd take better care of his physique if he's going to compete in the future Olympics. Does he think that he can let loose now that he's broken all those records? Maybe, but eh. Just a little surprised.

I'm not surprised or shocked, he's in his twenties and he likes to have fun during his down time - big deal.

I'm with TlsGirl.

I'm not surprised. What ticks me off about the whole thing is that he used the 'I'm young' excuse and the ISO forgave him. Again. They forgave him for the DUI and now they are forgiving him for the pot smoking. Is the third strike really going to be the strike out or is his fame and Olympic legend going to keep him from getting in trouble the 3rd time.
Either way, yes, he is only 23, but he knows he is in the public eye. If he's going to do this stuff, learn some discression.

The fact that people take this subject so lightly is really upsetting. There is a lot of occasional illegal drug users out there and since it is so common to do no one can see the irresponsibility in the action: you may say you will just consume it occasionally but the number of people that think like that can really add up, that is where the drug related phrase "Mexico is a trampoline because the US is a pool" comes from. The heads of illegal drug trading in Latin America are also heads of prostitution and child pornography networks, kidnapping bands...so, guess what? whenever you give money to your dealer here in the US you are giving your two cents to support all these illegal activities out there, but I guess that since you are just "a kid having fun in your down time" you don't really care.
And tlsgirl, trust me, if marijuana was legal on both sides of the border I would have no problem with its commercialization, actually Michael Phelps and all the occasional and regular pot smokers out there would make my country rich.

I agree, gab. Sure, pot may not have horrible effects on the smoker's body. However, as long as it is illegal, the money made from it help perpetuate other crimes. Additionally, because it's not monitored, you never know what you're actually smoking, which can be very dangerous for your health.

I was pleasantly surprised! In interviews, it's always seemed like he was lacking social skills thanks to a life of too much work and not enough play. I'm relieved to see that he's a normal kid who has friends outside of his sport.

Plus, potheads are like the laziest people ever... if he can be the fastest swimmer in the world AND smoke weed, he deserves another 420 gold medals!

And it should also be noted that marijuana isn't necessarily imported or produced by illegal organizations. It doesn't fund international crime on nearly the same scale as cocaine.

Plenty of pot smokers (myself included) buy it from friends who grow their own, and 1/3 of America's weed is grown in California where it can be produced legally... the only people I support when I buy marijuana are my buddy and the local garden center

That may be the case for you, weffie, but Phelps didn't know where this marijuana came from. (If the accounts told of the evening are true.)

He's only 23??? sh*t I thought he was at least 30.

It really doesn't surprise me...he's not exactly the brightest crayon in the box, if you know what I mean. They're endorsing his swimming abilities, not his brain. Still, I thought maybe he would have had a LITTLE more sense than that.

I was not surprised at all. He doesnt seem to be the brightest bulb around anyway. But stupid? Yes. He is an athlete but he knows the commercial repercussions of such actions. It is possible to be a world class, Olympic gold medal winning athlete and still be free from trouble. See: Natalie Coughlin.

And the ban given to him was ridiculous. 3 months? It doesnt even bar hm from any major competitions. He still gets to go to the World Champs. End of story: I'm so sick of him

athletes are just like anyone else. nothing shocks me anymore.