By Gary Gentile, The Associated Press Source: Associated Press The people waging the war on drugs have gone Hollywood. Officials with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration briefed producers, directors and writers on the connection between drug trafficking and terrorism and to offer to consult on movies and television programs. About 40 people, including film directors like Michael Mann and Arthur Hiller and people behind TV series such as "Third Watch" and "E.R." gathered at the Beverly Hills Hotel Wednesday for several hours to hear DEA Director Asa Hutchinson as well as the agency's intelligence chief and a former undercover agent. "I was stunned," said Anne Sweeney, president of ABC Cable Networks Group, a unit of The Walt Disney Co. "It helped deepen people's understanding of the challenges our country faces in the war on drugs." The meeting was organized by the Entertainment Industries Council, a nonprofit group that helps writers and producers depict social and health issues such as AIDS, alcohol abuse and gun violence. "The DEA knows more about terrorism and drugs than anybody," said Brian Dyak, the EIC's president and chief executive. "If they're willing to open their doors a little and the information becomes a part of story lines, it's a service to the public." A DEA spokesman said the agency is trying to emerge from its often necessary shroud of secrecy to help offer technical assistance on films and shows in the same way the Pentagon and the CIA consults on movies such as the recent blockbuster "The Sum of All Fears." "We don't expect to try and directly shape what some screenwriter is going to write," DEA spokesman Chris Battle said. "Our goal was simply to provide a more realistic and accurate version of the drug war and what kind of challenges, what kind of threats our agents face every day." The session turned out to be just the thing for David Mills, the creator of a television drama called "Kingpin," about a family run drug cartel, set to air next year on NBC. "I have been relying on a retired DEA agent, not even bothering to deal with the official DEA because I figured they had better things to do than to help me tell a story," Mills said. Complete Title: Drug Enforcement Agency Offers Consulting Services To Hollywood Source: Associated Press Author: Gary Gentile, The Associated Press Published: July 11, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Associated Press
My God! I am <v>very</v> surprised that I am the first one to reply to this!!!! This is OBVIOULSY an attempt by the DEA to take advantage of the terrorist scare to put the idea in the public's minds. I know that terrorism is benefitted by drug money, and unfortunately, at the top, to the drug sellers, it's just about product. Pot is the same as coke, etc., just a different product. The DEA does not care that this will just bring more negativity upon the sweet cannanbis. I will look forward to the coming years to see the public's opinions on cannabis. not that they arent already bad enough.