September 18, 2004 Washington D.C. ­ The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) announced today that it will distribute a Special Edition of the 8th Annual PRISM Awards™ television special to 11,000 drug and alcohol treatment and recovery centers nationwide. This coincides with National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, in partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 90-minute Special Edition includes comments from celebrities, Congressional leaders, and federal officials speaking directly to those in treatment.

The video distribution, now in its fifth year, is an example of the entertainment industry’s ongoing commitment to addressing treatment and recovery. In the past EIC and NIDA have donated the show to approximately 3,000 treatment centers. This year SAMHSA provided an additional financial commitment, making it possible to expand the distribution to nearly every treatment center in the country.

SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie, NIDA Director Nora Volkow, EIC President/CEO Brian Dyak, Florida First Lady Columba Bush, U.S. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ), U.S. Representatives Diane Watson (D-CA) and Mark Foley (R-FL), and Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson are all featured making brief comments on the tape. Celebrities featured include Gerald McRaney, Thora Birch, Michele Lee, Dennis Weaver, Persia White and Dr. Drew Pinsky.

“Studies have shown that youth drug abuse goes down if they feel that drugs are in fact harmful,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse. “If we’re going to win the battle against drugs, we definitely have to treat, but we also should prevent. That is why education is important and that’s where the entertainment industry plays such an extremely important role. Portraying the dark side of drug addiction entertainment productions can help people understand that drugs are not glamorous; they don’t have pretty faces; they are actually quite tragic. The entertainment industry reaches millions of people every year and provides a sobering reality to everybody.”

Charles Curie, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, observes, “ Drugs do their damage one person at a time, but their effects are felt by husbands and wives, by children and youth, by employers and neighbors, and by communities as a whole. What often is not known is that drug abuse is an illness from which people can and do recover; and it’s an illness that can be prevented by educating often and early. These PRISM award winners in television, video and the movies are helping America understand those truths about drug abuse. Together, we can build resilience and facilitate recovery for millions of our citizens. Together, we can show America that a life in the community is possible for people working to recover from drug abuse. Together, we can work to build a next generation that is healthy and drug-free.

The PRISM Awards, produced by EIC in partnership with NIDA, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and the FX network, recognize the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and addiction in film, television, music, video, and comic book entertainment. The show is being specially packaged for treatment centers with discussion questions to be used in
treatment settings. The questions pull scenes from PRISM-nominated productions and songs as well as quotes from the PRISM show itself.

EIC, a non-profit organization that is now celebrating its 20th anniversary, was founded by leaders of the entertainment industry. Among the issues EIC addresses are: drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and addiction; firearm safety and injury prevention; sun safety; human trafficking; terrorism and homeland security; mental health; and HIV/AIDS prevention. EIC’s website is located at www.eiconline.org.

NIDA, a component of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, supports 85% of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute also carries out a variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination and implementation of researching findings. NIDA’s website is located at www.drugabuse.gov.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. With a mission of building resilience and facilitating recovery for people with or at risk for mental and substance use disorders, the agency promotes the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health service delivery systems.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving health and health care for all Americans. The Foundation invests in initiatives that create meaningful and timely change and that help us lead healthier lives. One of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's four goals is to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse--tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs.

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network of the Fox Entertainment Group. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 79 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of distinctive original series and movies, an impressive roster of acquired hit series, an established film library with box-office from 20th Century Fox and other major studios, and marquee sports such as NASCAR.