Justin Bieber Appears to Smoke a Bong in New Instagram Photos as Fans Express Concern for Him

The singer’s post comes weeks after he was spotted smoking what fans said looked like marijuana next to his 15-year-old brother at Coachella

Justin Bieber is sparking concern among fans following his latest social media post.

On Sunday, May 4, the “Peaches” singer, 31, posted a photo of himself appearing to smoke a bong on Instagram. The post comes amid ongoing speculation about his mental health following a number vulnerable social media posts and his emotional plea to the paparazzi to stop photographing his every move.

In the photo, Bieber was seen in the background sitting outdoors with his mouth on what appeared to be a bong in an open doorway of a house as Australian singer-songwriter and music producer Eddie Benjamin was seen in the foreground playing a guitar inside the house.

Bieber next appeared in a photo standing outside on the balcony of what appeared to be the same house with Benjamin, 23, who was seen smoking. A bong could also be seen on the floor of the balcony behind the singer’s foot.

Justin Bieber appears to smoke a bong in background of his new Instagram post.Justin Bieber/Instagram

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Fans were quick to express their concern for Bieber in the comments section of his post.

“Don’t do that s— you’re one of my favorites. Don’t even smoke weed s—. Leave that man,” one fan wrote. “Always thought @justinbieber was better than that. At least keep it out of the public view. You’re not setting a good example,” someone else commented, seemingly referring to Justin’s wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber and their 8-month-old son Jack Blues.

Justin Bieber’s new Instagram photo.Justin Bieber/Instagram

PEOPLE has reached out to Justin’s representative for comment. A source close to the Biebers previously told PEOPLE that the couple has been just trying to tune out the noise.

“Justin is having fun, vibing out and yes, he smokes weed like everyone else. But everything he does is being weaponized against him,” the source said in April.

Centre left to right: Eddie Johnson and Justin Bieber with what appears to be a bong behind him.Justin Bieber/Instagram

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The musician’s post comes weeks after he was spotted smoking what looked like marijuana next to his 15-year-old brother at Coachella in a fan-captured video.

In the video, which was posted on X on April 20, Justin could be seen dancing shirtless in a crowd with the alleged blunt-like object in his mouth. The camera then followed him as he moved next to his brother Jaxon. (Justin has four half-siblings: Jaxon and sisters Allie, Jazmyn and Bay.)

Days prior to his appearance at Coachella, a source told PEOPLE that the “Sorry” hitmaker’s former circle is “worried” about him.

“He is facing a lot of different demons right now,” the source said. “He is making some really poor decisions lately, further impacting friendships, money, and business.”

“People are worried about him,” the insider added.

A rep for Bieber told PEOPLE in a statement at the time, “As Justin forges his own way forward, these unnecessary stories and inaccurate assumptions will continue. But, they won’t deter him from staying committed to following the right path.”

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Justin Bieber with his wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber in January 2023.Jerritt Clark/Getty Images

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Back in March, Justin sparked similar controversy on social media after posting photos on Instagram of himself once again appearing to smoke out of a bong while riding a dirt bike.

In one snap, the two-time Grammy winner was seen holding a bong on a bike while blowing smoke out of his mouth. Another photo showed the “Baby” singer leaning on the bike as the bong was perched on the ground.

While some fans criticized Justin’s photos, others defended him. “…There’s literally so many people that smoke and he’s obviously not doing it in front of his son … yall are sensitive,” one person wrote.

In February, Justin was hit with reports of alleged drug use following concerns over his behavior, which his representative denied at the time. A member of Justin and Hailey’s team said in a statement, which was first reported by TMZ, that the allegations were “exhausting.”

At the time, a rep for Justin declined to provide further comment to PEOPLE.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.