Although the ONDCP is within the executive office of the president and reports to Bush, White House spokesman Jimmy Orr referred all questions about the decision to the drug policy office. Democrat Cummings, however, said it was unlikely the decision was made independently of top Bush administration officials. "I don't see how he could make such a significant change without some kind of authority from the White House," he said.

The inspiration to spend tax dollars on anti-drug propaganda came from Clinton drug czar Barry McCaffrey, shortly after the passage of ballot initiatives on medical marijuana in California and Arizona in 1996. McCaffrey considered the medical marijuana initiatives a stalking horse for drug legalization, and he concluded that the government needed its own ad campaign to combat pro-drug messages.

NORML filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission in February 2000 after the dollars-for-content scheme was disclosed. In December 2000, the FCC issued a ruling chiding the government and directing it to follow the FCC's "concurrent notice" requirements. That is, under the Federal Communications Act, television programs that receive direct or indirect financial incentives have to indicate that fact at the time of broadcast. No fines were imposed, but the FCC did state that "listeners and viewers are entitled to know by whom they are being persuaded."

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In the end, the controversy over the scheme hobbled McCaffrey and reduced his effectiveness. "Given the totally negative press and editorializing across the country, McCaffrey was out there alone, and this really weakened him," said Kevin Zeese, president of Common Sense for Drug Policy.

Still, there's little doubt that messages embedded in programming are more effective than overt advertising. Clearly, they stand a somewhat better chance of causing some kid to reject a joint headed his way at a party. That's because viewers enthralled by an emotionally compelling program tend to lower the "defensive screen" that filters out advertising messages, says professor Philip Plamgreen of the University of Kentucky, who helped design and evaluate the ONDCP's media campaign. A message "embedded in a good story line reduces counterarguing because viewers are so wrapped up in the story," Plamgreen told Salon in 1999. "One program segment might have the effectiveness of millions of dollars of paid advertising. [It] doesn't raise defenses in most cases. It's not perceived as someone overtly trying to change your mind."

While paid programming messages are gone for now, the government hasn't entirely given up its efforts to enlist Hollywood in anti-drug efforts. According to New York journalist Preston Peet, the ONDCP currently has an $800,000 deal to run banner ads on 'N Sync's Web site and to feature a filmed ad at each of the 45 shows on the group's current tour. In the filmed ad, group members speak of activities such as mind reading, attending scary movies and even playing tiddlywinks as their own "anti-drugs."

What's more, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is getting into the act with an annual $300,000 grant available to nonprofit or government agencies to "foster Hollywood leadership support for national public health priorities which include ... promoting accurate depictions of healthy living at all stages of life." Renewable over five years, the aim of CDC program No. 61470 is "coordinating strategic placement of public health storylines and messages in entertainment programming including daytime and prime time television dramas."

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