Americans want Prince Harry’s visa to be reviewed due to drug taking
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has once again found himself at the center of controversy following the release of his tell-all memoir, Spare. In the book, the Prince admitted to using various narcotics, including cocaine, cannabis, and magic mushrooms in the past. This revelation has raised fresh questions about his visa application to the United States, and a recent poll shows that a majority of Americans are pushing for his visa to be reviewed.
According to a poll conducted by strategists Redfield & Wilton for Newsweek, 54% of US adults from a sample of 1,500 registered voters believe that Prince Harry’s visa should be reviewed after he admitted to using cocaine and psychedelics recreationally in his memoir. The poll asked respondents whether Prince Harry’s visa application should be reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security, given his admission of drug use, and a majority responded in the affirmative.
The conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, has taken up the issue and is going through the courts to compel the release of Prince Harry’s visa application. The organization believes that the public has a right to know whether Prince Harry received “preferential treatment” in his visa application or if he lied about his past drug use. US immigration law regards any failure to declare drug use to immigration officials as a serious violation that can result in deportation and being permanently barred from applying for citizenship.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Washington-based commentator Nile Gardiner, who is aligned with The Heritage Foundation, claimed that there’s a clear public interest in ensuring US immigration law is applied equally to everyone who applies to the United States. He said that no one should be above the law, and immigration law should be applied effectively in all cases. The commentator argued that Prince Harry’s high-profile status makes the public interest argument a no-brainer, and the public has a right to know if he was honest and truthful in his application.
Despite the majority of Americans believing Prince Harry’s visa should be reviewed, a similar percentage said they felt the Prince was right to detail his history with substance use in his memoir. Prince Harry spoke candidly about his drug use and experimentation in Spare as a means of dealing with the grief of losing his mother, Princess Diana, at a young age and handling the pressures of being a figure of intense public interest. However, his revelations have sparked backlash, with some critics accusing him of glamourizing drug use or experimentation.
British drug education advocate and founder of the DSM Foundation, Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, expressed concern that Prince Harry’s revelations could prove harmful to impressionable young people. She said that it is understandable that when people are struggling, they look around for ways to cope, particularly young people who have been struggling with their mental health during and since COVID-19. Yet, they are unable to access support services because they are so stretched.
Prince Harry’s admission of drug use in his memoir has raised fresh questions about his visa application to the United States. While a majority of Americans believe his visa should be reviewed, many also believe that Prince Harry was right to detail his history with substance use in his memoir. The issue remains contentious, and it remains to be seen what action, if any, will be taken in response to these revelations.
Source: Daily Express: Panic for Prince Harry as HALF of Americans want his visa reviewed over drug admission
