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Pro-Kremlin activist says was high on coke for years


    MOSCOW (Reuters) - A prominent member of the youth wing of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party says he has been snorting cocaine and taking ecstasy pills for years, according to an interview published on Thursday.

    United Russia, the de facto ruling party, advocates familyvalues and a healthy life style. Its members include manyfamous sportsmen and showbiz celebrities.

    "The most terrible period is over now, and I am happy Ihave mustered up my will (to fight drug addiction)," pop singerVlad Topalov, 22, told the Moskovsky Komsomolets popular daily.

    He said he had sniffed cocaine for the last four years.

    The peroxide blond heartthrob, one of the best known facesin the pro-Kremlin Young Guard movement, is hugely popular withteenage girls in Russia and other ex-Soviet states.

    Young Guard leaders could decide to exclude the singer fromtheir ranks because of the interview, a Young Guard activisttold the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

    Topalov said he had suffered temporary kidney failure, fellout with his father and his drug abuse was a reason for thebreak-up of a popular singing duet.

    (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Stephen Weeks)