Jackie Chan says he feels ashamed of son's drug abuse
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 25 December, 2014, 9:46am
UPDATED : Thursday, 25 December, 2014, 5:39pm
Reuters in Beijing
File photo of Jaycee Chan, also known as Jaycee Fong Cho-ming, Hong Kong actor and singer, and son of kung fu movie star Jackie Chan. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong kung fu movie star Jackie Chan feels ashamed of his son's drug abuse and hopes that one day he will speak out about the dangers of taking drugs, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Jaycee Chan, also known as Jaycee Fong Cho-ming, was formally charged with a drugs offence this week, meaning he is almost certain to face trial.
The younger Chan, a 32-year-old actor and singer, was arrested in Beijing this year after testing positive for marijuana, with police saying they found 100 grams of the drug at his home.
"I hope that in the future, he could become an anti-drug spokesman and tell his experiences to young people," Jackie Chan told Xinhua, in comments released late on Wednesday.
Chan also said that he never used any of his connections to help his son out, the report added.
In August, the father offered the public a "deep bow of apology" for his son's arrest.
Action and comedy star Jackie Chan, 60, served as a goodwill spokesman for the China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009, state media reported, promoting anti-drug education.
China has detained a string of other mostly B-list celebrities in recent months on drug-related charges, cases that have been publicised widely in both state and social media. They have included movie and television stars, film directors and a prominent screenwriter.
Drug crimes carry harsh penalties in China including death or life imprisonment in serious cases.
Illegal drugs, especially synthetic substances like methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy, have grown in popularity in China in tandem with the rise of a new urban class with greater disposable income.
