Drummer Spencer Smith, of Panic! At The Disco fame, has confirmed that he won't be appearing on the band's upcoming tour because he still needs treatment for prescription drugs and alcohol.

The rocker made the shocking admission in an official statement last month and explained to fans that he's been battling an addiction for 4 years now, but has finally found the courage to admit it to himself and get help.

The group's frontman, Brendon Urie, has now written an open letter to their followers in which he admits Smith (pictured above left next to Urie) won't be joining them for the live run of dates as he needs to remain focused in order to fully recover:

"Spencer and I have been through a lot of hurdles together, but witnessing one of my closest friends immersed in such a battle has been the most difficult. There was never anything I could say to comfort him or empathise with his situation. What the f**k could I possibly say to him to make him feel like everything was gonna be okay?"

"It's become evident Spencer still needs more time to take care of himself. I can't expect him to be fighting addiction one minute and be fully immersed in a national tour the next. With all that said, the tour will continue without Spencer while he is away getting the help he needs. Thank you all for your support and kind words."

Panic! At The Disco recently released their new single, 'Miss Jackson', and their new album, entitled 'Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die', should be released later this fall.