Last Friday, Courtney Love, Troy Nowell and a host of others gathered at the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles to launch a new anti-drug campaign created jointly by the Musicians' Assistance Program (MAP) and Partnership for a Drug Free America (PDFA).

During her speech, Love recounted her long bout with drug use and revealed that it's high time that artists like herself step up and speak out against the evils of drug abuse. Nowell, the widow of former Sublime singer Brad Nowell, commented on the absurdity of the amount of musicians who've died in the last few years from drugs.

The anti-drug campaign, featuring artists like Love, Chuck D, Everclear, KISS and Lauryn Hill of the Fugees, is important because of the audience it will reach. "These artists are speaking to kids -- from a very personal perspective -- about the realities of drugs," said Buddy Arnold, CEO of MAP. "Whether they're speaking out because of personal tragedy, or because loved ones have endured the pain of drug addiction, the PSAs are meant to hit kids in the gut with a message: Drugs are not cool," he continued.

MAP is an organization funded by the Recording Industry Association of America in order to help musicians with drug problems kick their habits. RIAA President Hilary Rosen was also on hand at the star-studded press conference and had this to say: "The artists participating in these PSAs are delivering an intimate and fundamental message to the youth of America: Drugs bring tragedy and no one is exempt."

According to a recent report, drug use among teens has risen tremendously since 1991. Use among eighth graders, for example, is up nearly 200 percent, with many of them using harder drugs like LSD and heroin.

Ari Bendersky