WHITE HOUSE ENLISTING HOLLYWOOD IN WAR ON DRUGS

Strategy Is To Get Anti-Drug Messages In Movies

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- White House drug policy director Barry McCaffrey wants
to see a new twist in movie plots: Anti-drug messages.

"We are making available to the producers, directors, writers -- the
creative community -- the resources, the understanding that the National
Institute of Drug Abuse gets out of $600 million a year of taxpayer dollars
studying this issue," McCaffrey said Tuesday.

For years, some films have shown America's youth consuming drugs and
alcohol.

Now, McCaffrey is calling for filmmakers to work with him on promoting
movies that will help persuade young people not to take drugs.

It is an expansion of a controversial program that the drug policy director
struck with television shows such as "Cosby," 'E.R.," and "Beverly Hills
90210."

Networks were rewarded with millions of dollars in financial credit for
including anti-drug messages in the popular programs.

Big screen more powerful than little screen

The White House believes those messages will go even further in movie
theaters.

"As powerful as television is, some experts believe that movies have an
even stronger impact on young people," McCaffrey told the House Government
Reform subcommittee on criminal justice, drug policy and human resources.

But the campaign has sparked heated debate over White House intervention in
mass media. "They're talking about turning the Hollywood studios into an
organ of the government," said Tim Lynch of the Cato Institute, a group
that promotes limited government.

"They're talking about turning the studios into a propaganda machine for
the government, and that's wrong," Lynch said.

'We have a responsibility'

Lori McCreary is producing the upcoming film "Under Suspicion," and she
said McCaffrey's overtures are causing the film community to talk.

"Generally, I think his heart is in the right place," said McCreary. "I
think that ultimately as filmmakers we have a responsibility for the
messages that we are putting out to the public." The drug policy director's
plan includes using a "group of celebrities" -- all of whom have donated
their services -- to pitch the anti-drug message.

"The technique is particularly effective with young people, who frequently
try to emulate the looks, behavior and attitude of their favorite stars,"
McCaffrey said.

Some experts say they agree with the plan. "Psychologically, it's more
effective than public service announcements because those are usually
people with whom the audience can identify with," said Stuart Fishoff, a
professor of media psychology at California State University, Los Angeles.

"If you don't identity with who is on screen, with who is telling you about
drugs, there is no message," Fishoff said.

Money and strategy

McCaffrey noted that the creative process in producing a film is different
from that of television, with scripts often years in development.

"As a result, the campaign takes a long-term view on working with
filmmakers and understands that we may not see concrete results for several
years," McCaffrey said.

The process has already begun, he said, through workshops, briefings,
roundtables and one-on-one conversations with industry leaders.

In 1997, Congress approved a $1 billion, five-year advertising program
aimed at young drug users.

Most of the money was supposed to be spent on television commercials, but
the government instead cut deals under which it agreed to provide
advertising credits if the networks agreed to work anti-drug messages into
episodes of popular TV shows.

It was disclosed in April that several newspapers and magazines had
received similar credits after publishing articles with positive anti-drug
messages.

After appealing to TV and filmmakers, there are questions of what McCaffrey
has planned for the music business, where many popular songs include
references to alcohol and marijuana use.

CNN Correspondent Paul Vercammen, The Associated Press contributed to this
report.