You may recall that pictures which appear to show the pop prince Justin Bieber smoking marijuana made their way online yesterday. Bieber later tweeted a message which appeared to acknowledge the photos, saying that he was "everyday growing and learning" but it's the reaction of a section of his fans on Twitter that is proving to be the most shocking aspect of the story.

The Twitter hashtag #cutforbieber made its way online and began to trend on the website, leading to selections of Bieber's fans posting self harm images, in an attempt to keep the pop star away from drugs.

According to the Independent, one Twitter user posted a photograph of a self-inflicted wound, along with a message saying "you stop using drugs and we'll stop cutting." The same user, who is 15 years old, then sent a message directly to Bieber: "Sorry if I scared you honey, it's just that I would do anything for you."

It is understood that the hashtag originated as a joke on an internet message board and has since spread worldwide. Justin Bieber hasn't commented on the topic.

For advice about the topic of self harming, please visit the Pieta House website.