SOME WISH TV SHOW ABOUT MARIJUANA-SELLING MOM WOULD GO UP IN SMOKE

Despite earning a largely enthusiastic response from TV critics, a new show
about a pot-selling suburban mother is provoking outrage among the public
and generating concern among anti-drug organizations worried that the
comedy makes light of a harmful and illegal activity.

"Weeds," which premiered last night on Showtime Networks, narrates the
story of Nancy Botwin, a widow in suburban California who turns to
purveying marijuana to provide for her two children after the sudden death
of her husband. Showtime, a premium cable network, is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Viacom, a publicly traded entertainment conglomerate.

In most states, including New York, the sale of marijuana can be a felony
offense.

When Viacom announced in December that it was acquiring "Weeds" from Lions
Gate Entertainment for a 10-episode commitment, the president of
entertainment for Showtime Networks, Robert Greenblatt, said in a
statement: "We believe that this comedy has the kind of wit and edge that
audiences are clamoring for." Some responses from the public and anti-drug
community yesterday, however, were less than enthusiastic.

Viewers weighing in on Showtime's online public discussion forums, for
example, denounced "Weeds" and urged others to "boycott this stupid show."
Participants claiming to be parents expressed concern about the comedy's
corrupting influence on children and its promotion of an illegal activity.

Some of their concerns were echoed yesterday by a spokeswoman for the White
House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, Jennifer deVallance.

"We think that any time people are making light of substance abuse, that it
is not appropriate," Ms. deVallance said, adding that more than 7 million
Americans are under treatment for substance abuse, and 15 million Americans
are regular users of marijuana.

While some of the show's advocates - and proponents of legalizing cannabis
- - have argued the relative harmlessness of the drug, Ms. deVallance
expressed concern that this defense of "Weeds" was based on an outdated
premise and understanding of marijuana.

"It's essentially a different drug than it was when I was growing up," she
said. Whereas marijuana sold in the 1970s and 1980s contained around 1%
tetrahydrocannabinol - the active ingredient in cannabis, commonly referred
to as THC - the percentage in contemporary marijuana is closer to 7% or 8%,
Ms. deVallance said. Some high-potency varieties on the market, she added,
contained around 20% to 30% THC.

More is now known of the effects of the agent, and studies have shown
marijuana usage to be linked to schizophrenia and suicidal impulses, and
that the increased concentration of THC has led to higher rates of
dependency, Ms. deVallance said.

A spokeswoman for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Meghan
Gutierrez, said a particular concern about the impact of "Weeds" is its
influence on young audiences. Since 1998, she said, teenagers have become
less likely to use marijuana or to exhibit positive attitudes toward it,
and she worried that "trendsetting" shows like "Weeds" might reverse the
pattern.

Ms. Gutierrez encouraged parents to use the series as a "teachable moment."
Seizing the hype over "Weeds" as an excuse to talk with children about the
harms of marijuana, she said, was the best response to the show.

In New York, however, the chairman of the New York State Conservative
Party, Michael Long, urged a more proactive response to the program, which
he labeled "irresponsible" and "a sad commentary on society" with standards
that "have run amok."

New Yorkers should find out which companies are supporting "Weeds," refuse
to buy their products, and make the companies aware of the boycott, Mr.
Long said.

The first episode of "Weeds," which stars Mary Louise Parker and is written
and produced by Jenji Kohan - also a writer for "Sex and the City" and
"Friends" - will air again tonight, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 p.m.