Shows Honored for Anti-Drug Messages

The CBS prime-time hit “Promised Land” and part of the NBC series “E.R.” were honored at the third annual Prism Awards for accurate TV and film portrayals of drug and tobacco use and addiction.

“Promised Land” won this year’s Prism for best television dramatic series episode. “E.R.” was honored for best prime-time dramatic “continuing storyline” about drug addiction. Other honorees at the March 9 ceremonies included the Miramax African American-themed film “Down in the Delta,” and NBC-TV for its “The More You Know” anti-drug public service commercials.

“Many people in Hollywood are doing a spectacular job at educating Americans, both young and old, about the true nature of drug abuse and addiction and its consequences for all aspects of their lives,” said Dr. Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which cosponsors the awards along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the nonprofit Entertainment Industries Council.

Prism’s sponsors are spending $1 million to promote more accurate portrayals of drug and tobacco use, including a consulting hotline for screenwriters and producers.

“Promised Land” star Gerald McRaney, who is also a reserve peace officer in Jefferson Parish near New Orleans, told Religion News Service: “It’s not enough to lock people up. We can’t build enough jail space to handle this [drug] problem.

“One of the primary elements of any sort of spiritual values, whether it’s Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, whatever it is, is the notion of compassion,” McRaney said. “There are so many things that just dovetail between this sort of [anti-drug] movement, our doing our job in the entertainment business and spiritual values . . . compassion, forgiveness, effort. You know, religion isn’t something you just strap on in the morning and it serves you the rest of the day. It’s something you have to work at.”