Over the weekend , On Friday, gossip site TMZ released photos of Justin Bieber purportedly smoking a joint. The thought of their idol smoking marijuana was apparently more than some Bieber fans could handle, and today, a young woman an Internet troll tweeted that she would kill herself if the story was true.

(Warning: Graphic images)

https://twitter.com/dutchminati/status/288354911807209473

It seems there are others making similar threats:

The #cutforbieber hashtag is now trending nationwide:

Some Twitterers are taking the opportunity to mock those threatening to hurt themselves:

#Cut4Justin I EVN DID CRINKLS JUS 4 U JUSTIN PLEES STOP SMOKIN WEED pic.twitter.com/qSZ5Wjst — haloumi dungarees (@halenamorgan) January 7, 2013

Look what I did to myself @JustinBieber when I heard about the drug Why do U do that to us? #Cut4Justin #CutforJustin pic.twitter.com/dly83DJ8 — Hishem. (@TheHishem) January 7, 2013

But most are disgusted and horrified:

#cut4justin is absolutely sick, justin can do what he wants and if you were a real belieber you wouldn't cut yourself in order to bribe him — Courtney Grace (@courtneygbain) January 7, 2013

WTF #cut4justin??? Would someone explain to me why & what idiotic girl started this? — B (@widdleB) January 7, 2013

WTF is wrong with these people? RT @kiser: The hashtag #cut4justin is just unbelievably scary (self-harm warning) — Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) January 7, 2013

Seein a pic on here of a girls bleeding arm and her saying #cut4justin disgusting that someone would even do that just to get noticed of him — emily (@emilysivinsssss) January 7, 2013

FREAKIN DISGUSTING THAT GIRL WHO CUT HER FOR JUSTIN. THAT PIC IS FREAKIN REAL. IM GUNNA THROW UP #cut4justin — erica (@eriica_deez) January 7, 2013

#cut4justin seriously?! Are people actually cutting themselves because justin bieber smokes weed? What is wrong with humanity!!!!! — kirby-leigh (@KirbyLeighHurst) January 7, 2013

why are people posting photos of their cuts and trying to trend #cut4justin what the actual fuck — Shadeh (@_shadeh) January 7, 2013

It ain't funny people trying to get attention of Justin about self-harming, some people have real problems… #cut4justin — JessPrecious (@JessMPrecious) January 7, 2013

It’s unclear as to whether this is part of a hoax, but regardless, it’s absolutely sick. We pray that no one comes to any harm.

(Editor’s note: The word “purportedly” was added to the title to reflect questions about the photo’s origin and the first paragraph was amended to indicate that this was the work of a troll.)

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Update:

It appears that the tweet that set the cutting campaign in motion was sent out by a troll.

https://twitter.com/unswagy/status/288357750650568704

The user’s Twitter bio includes a link to the nasty Gay Nigger Association of America anti-blogging group. Moreover, the image in the initial tweet has been used before.

https://twitter.com/actuallyiscolin/status/288387038640750592

4chan is evidently responsible for launching the sick #cutforbieber hashtag:

This cut for bieber trend was started by 40 year old neckbeard basement-dwelling lurkers from 4chan who took some photos from tumblr — – (@highdgaf) January 7, 2013

Okay so i thought this cut for bieber thing was something started by some crazy fans But no wait, it all started on 4chan, jesus — JayTee (@JayTee_Gaming) January 7, 2013

Apparently the cut for bieber thing was started by 4chan. I seriously hope nobody really cut themselves over this — Paul Barnhill (@barnonahill) January 7, 2013

How thoroughly disgusting that someone would resort to faux self-harm threats for kicks and attention.

@dutchminati that pics from the internet, stop looking for attention, fucktard. — ~ l0/5er ~ (@jan0ski4nscrew) January 7, 2013

We sincerely hope that vulnerable young people who took this seriously did not actually hurt themselves.

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Update:

#Cut4Bieber hoax escalates, with trolls spreading memorials for ‘victims’

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Update:

Where’s Justin? Bieber fans await his comments on #cutforbieber hoax