Lillo Brancato Jr., a promising young actor who played roles in HBO’s hit The Sopranos as well as opposite Robert DeNiro is his film A Bronx Tale is living a nightmare that could have come straight out of the scripts of one of his movies.

In 2005, Brancato was involved in the death of the New York City police officer during a robbery where he and an accomplice were attempting to steal drugs from their dealer.

During the robbery, the drug dealer who owned the house fired at the men breaking into his house, but also killed his neighbor, police officer Daniel Enchautegui who heard the commotion and had come over to investigate.

That leaves Brancato accused of burglary and murder and could face life in prison as a result.  His trial in New York City began this past week.

The story of Lillo Brancato Jr., is extreme, but is also indicative of a lifestyle where easy access to drugs and alcohol can lead to addiction and criminal behavior.  Heroin addiction and cocaine addiction were constant issues with this obviously troubled young man, but because of his fame - and ironically, the types of tough guy roles he portrayed - few were there to say NO and reach out with help.

Famous or not, if someone you know is struggling with drug addiction, help them find a drug rehab facility that can provide the life-saving treatment they desperately need.

Proving once again that it is better to be famous than lucky, Ryan O’Neal’s 23-year old son has managed to avoid serious jail time after his recent arrest on charges of Methamphetamine and heroin.  Instead, Redmond will return for another stint at drug rehab which, to this point, has been unable to help this obviously troubled young man get the help that he needs.

Redmond’s recent arrest drew headlines because police also took his father Ryan into custody when they found the drugs in the family home.  Speaking through his attorneys, a surely-humiliated O”Neal maintains vehemently that the drugs belonged to his son only.

The judge in the case hopes that a two-week drug detox program will hope get Redmond O’Neal back on track.  But as anyone in the addiction treatment industry will attest, detox is only part of the equation - and is not a solution in and of itself.

Once detox is complete, the individual can then move forward with the counseling and therapy that makes up the backbone of any good drug rehab program.  It is in these sessions that the root causes of addiction can be addressed, and real solutions can be found.

There are so many things from our youth that once seemed pure and are now besmirched by revelations, temptations and too much information.   Until now, MARSHA BRADY seemed a pretty safe bet to stay off of that list, but alas, it just wasn’t meant to be.

In her new autobiography entitled Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, actress Maureen McCormick who played the eldest sister of the Brady clan on the hit TV show The Brady Bunch has admitted to years if cocaine addiction, trading cocaine for sex at the Playboy Mansion and even a string of abortions required because of unwanted pregnancies.

This is some pretty stunning stuff considering just a few years ago we were all trying to wrap our heads around Marsha kissing Greg in a brief off-screen moment.  Wow, that sure seems innocent now.

As it happens, McCormick is yet another cautionary tale of young Hollywood and its distaste for telling anyone “no” about anything.   This lack of a checks and balances system has left many 14-years olds like McCormick in grave danger.  It is to “Marcia’s” credit that she has lived to tell the tale and turn her life around in a way that allows her to help others.

To help someone in YOUR life with a drug addiction, contact a drug rehab facility and find out how you can help get that individual into an intervention and straight on through to treatment.

After an alcohol fueled binge with his 20 year old girlfriend, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood entered into rehab for alcohol addiction, drug addiction and compulsive sexual behabvior.  The 61 year old is now facing legal troubles as his wife prepares to sue him for divorce.

Certainly living and working alongside Keith Richards for decades is not going to do anyone’s health any favors, but Wood has seemingly entered a cycle of addiction that, at his advancing years, will be difficult to dig out from underneath.

Couple that with the financial problems that seem to be right around the corner and, despite being part of the most popular band in the world, Wood’s golden years don’t look to be so sweet.

This latest trip into rehab is one of many - and one can only hope that he benefit from the chance to spend some time away from his party-heavy lifestyle.

When individuals such as Wood fall from grace, we tend to shrug our shoulders and say “told you so.:  This attitude however, will not suffice when helping one of our own friends or loved ones through a difficult alcohol or drug addiction.

The only way to make sure that an individual gets the help they need is to hold an intervention and get them into an alcohol or drug rehab program immediately where there are professionals who have made it their life’s work to get people clean and sober.

TV star Heather Locklear recently became the latest celebrity to be arrested in California for driving under the influence.   But while most other celebrities have been drunk when pulled over, Ms. Locklear was under the influence of prescription medications, specifically Vicodin.

After her arrest, Ms. Locklear issued a statement in which the former heartthrob revealed a longtime Vicodin addiction and other prescription drugs.

Quickly, her mugshot spread across the web, and the nation was once again distracted from more pressing issues by a celebrity up to no good.  Still, the event does produce something positive as it sheds more light on the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Many young people unfortunately view prescription medications as somehow safer than street drugs, when the truth of the matter is they present just as many potential problems - especially if one tries to operate a vehicle while under their influence.

Now nearing her 50’s, Heather Locklear is likely looking back on certain aspects of her life and wondering “what happened.”  Looking at the now famous mug shot of Locklear after the arrest, we can all learn something about the devastating effects of Vicodin and other opiates.

For help with drug addiction, contact an addiction treatment facility in your area.  These facilities are staffed with kind, caring professionals who can change your life for the better.

Well known entertainer and former WHAM lead singer George Michael is back in trouble with the law after being arrested for possession of crack cocaine in Hamstead Heath, a park near the singer’s London home.

The arrest marks the latest brush with the law for the singer, who battle drug addiction for many years.

Although Michael apologized to his fans, his act seems to wearing thin as this arrest barely registered in Britain’s tabloid-crazy media.

Over the past decade George Michael has been criminally invovled with incidents involving marijuana, ectsasy and other drugs.   Add to this his arrest for lewd behavior is a public bathroom and you have a celebrity who either cares little about his public personna, or has a very real drug addiction problem that requires professional help immediately.

If you or someone you love is struggling with drug addiction, contact a drug rehab facility in your area.   Drug rehab programs help save lives and give all their patients a chance to start their lives again.

The hit VH1 reality show Celebrity Rehab kicks off its second season on October 23^rd and brings with it a new batch of famous people from the world of entertainment who have set their careers aside to work with host Dr. Drew Pinsky in an effort to achieve recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

The cast includes the return of former Taxi star Jeff Conway, who has faced a series of setbacks since his last appearance on the show including several back surgeries that have caused him to relapse into his habitual use of pain medications.  Joining him in the rehab program are a wide variety of celebs including:

• Sean Stewart (Sons of Hollywood)
• Amber Smith (model/actress)
• Rodney King
• Nikki McKibbin (American Idol)
• Steven Adler (Guns n Roses)
• Tawny Kitaen (Actress).

Perhaps the most notable appearance of the season will come from actor Gary Busey.  The actor is over a decade removed from his cocaine addiction, but will take the other residents on what is being billed as a “spiritual journey” and share experiences from his own recovery.

Questions about the quality of the show remain, but certainly anything that raises awareness about the availability and effectiveness of quality alcohol and drug rehab programs can’t be all bad.

Celebrity Rehab will run for 8 episodes every Thursday beginning on October 23^rd.

British film actress Helen Mirren is highly-regarded for her ability to portray almost any character with wisdom and grace.  Too bad neither of those characteristics was present when Mirren recently shared her views and personal experiences regarding cocaine.

During a lengthy interview with the British edition of GQ Magazine, Mirren said that “she used to love taking cocaine” and would do so regularly at parties during the 1970’s and1980’s.  A scare with a date rape incident while intoxicated seemingly scared Mirren straight, but she still offers up little rebuttal against the dangers of drug use.

Celebrities, and certainly those in their seventies such as Helen Mirren, do not necessarily need to be role models for young people everywhere, but they should certainly know better than to be so blasé about the things they say during public interview sessions.

Granted, Mirren lost a good deal of her credibility when the interview detoured into talk of Nazi criminals on the lam and how to best prosecute date rape offenders, but by then the damage had already been done.

Cocaine addiction was a serious problem THEN, and it is an even more serious one NOW.  In order to get help, individuals must find an effective drug rehab program to help them get clean and sober.

Mackenzie Phillips, former TV star and daughter of John Phillips of the seminal sixties band The Mama’s and the Papa’s was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on August 28th when drugs were found in her bags during the security screening process.

This is hardly the first time Mackenzie Phillips has been in trouble with drugs or the law.  The one-time star of One Day at a Time has battled drug addiction for many years.    In 1980, she was fired from the CBS hit after a near fatal overdose.  After going through two full years of rehab, producers hired her back in 1982, only to fire her again, once and for all, after a relapse in 1983.

Obviously, she has never quite been able to overcome her problems with heroin and cocaine (despite repeated visits to top California drug rehab centers) as these were the substances found in her luggage by LAX security.

Possession of heroin and cocaine is a felony, and Phillips was later booked and transported to the jail in Van Nuys located in the San Fernando Valley.

Celebrities and non-celebrities alike need to come to terms with their drug addiction, and seek help from the best drug rehab programs at their disposal.  Addiction treatment at these drug rehab facilities helps individuals overcome the psychological and physical components of addiction - all the while giving them the decision-making skills they need to live a drug free life.

Comedian Andy Dick has joined a growing list of celebrities who have recently entered into a televised drug rehab program.  Dick, known for his outlandish antics and frequent reality show appearances, and was recently the focal point of several embarrassing incidents around Los Angeles, will join the cast of Sober Living, a new show that is a quasi-spinoff of the VH1 hit program Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

Andy Dick has come under fire in recent years for his rumored involvement in the death of Bryn Hartman and her husband, legendary comedian Phil Hartman.  Many people throughout Hollywood believe that is was Dick who gave Ms. Hartman the drugs which set her off a rampage which ended with the shooting death of her husband.  Recently, comedian Jon Levitz even punched out Dick at a comedy club because he was gloating about the incident.

While celebrities prefer the spotlight, everyone with a drug or alcohol addiction is urged to find a quality rehab program in their area.