GROUP SEEKS ANTI-DRUG THEMES ON TV

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.-- Anti-drug themes should be made part of popular TV
and music programming to keep children off drugs, an industry group said
Wednesday.

The Caucus of Producers, Writers and Directors made its suggestion to White
House drug policy chief Barry R. McCaffrey, who was seeking input on
reaching children as young as age 9. "I came here to listen to those who
help shape America's values," McCaffrey said after a closed meeting with
the caucus steering committee.

"How do you communicate with adolescents? If anyone understands that, it's
some of the people in this room today," said McCaffrey, head of the Office
of National Drug Control Policy. The caucus, a group of 200 TV industry
members, suggested using music and TV shows as anti-drug forums.

But Jerry Isenberg, chair of the caucus, said it would be wise to avoid
"the simplistic drugs are bad" message because it is old and ineffective.

"The answer may be in characters and themes ... embedded in shows,"
Isenberg said. Bonny Dore, a TV producer and secretary of the caucus,
gave several examples. "If you were doing a 'Simpsons' episode and Bart
goes, 'You're using drugs -attitude check!"' she said.

McCaffrey has been seeking a partnership with Hollywood in spreading the
message, which is also going out in a $195 million-a-year ad campaign
beginning this summer. He said childhood was the crucial time to prevent
drug abuse.

"Almost nobody in his right mind starts using cocaine at 25, starts a
heroin habit in his mid-30s," McCaffrey said.

Isenberg said members of the caucus had no problem with the idea of
including an anti-drug message in programming.

"(There is) no party line. Everybody hates drugs," Isenberg said.