But I think this incident might be a blessing in disguise. People for whom he’s a role model have now gotten the message, straight from Phelps, that using drugs is not acceptable.

As there’s a very good chance that many people who admire Phelps take drugs themselves, this might act as a deterrent. They may never have known or even thought about Phelps’ stand on drugs – now they know.

I hope they’re not too jaded to think he apologized and expressed his regrets just to make himself look good to his sponsors, the Olympic Committee, and so on.

When I was about his age I quit smoking because someone I very much admired did a lot of research on it and concluded it was very unhealthy. I smoked like a furnace before that. So did she. It had never really occurred to me to quit – that was quite a few years ago, long before it became such a big issue - until she did.

Maybe someone out there who smokes marijuana, who never really considered there was anything wrong with it, might have a second look at it in light of Phelps admitting it was stupid.

Maybe someone who takes other drugs might even be influenced to get help through an addiction treatment center.

All in all, this incident may do more good than harm.