S. Korean TV Films Local Drug Program

When officials from a South Korean public television network recently began planning a documentary designed to keep their country’s kids off drugs, the network decided to make the film in the United States.

There was little to film in their country because drug abuse is not much of a problem, said Kim Ho Chang, chief producer for South Korea’s Educational Broadcasting System.

“The problem with drugs in America is very well-established,” he said. “And (Americans) have a lot of experience in dealing with it.”

The crew was in Van Nuys to visit a drug-abuse prevention program run by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of the San Fernando Valley Inc. As part of the program, 11 teen-agers with drug problems were meeting with two officers from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The South Korean film crew shot footage as the officers, Tom Souza and Vic Colello, talked to the youths. The officers--who encouraged the youths to talk and ask questions--said they hope the youths will learn to trust them.

But there is no sure-fire method to keep kids off drugs, the officers said.

“We don’t have all the answers for them,” said Souza, referring to the filmmakers. “We’re just trying to work it out as we go along. We’re still looking for answers.”

While drugs such as heroin and cocaine are not a problem in South Korea, he said, some young people are injecting a drug called “Philipon,” which he said comes from Japan.

And, Kim said, some Korean teen-agers sniff glue, which worries officials.

“Some of the kids who are sniffing glue are causing brain damage to themselves,” he said.

The government, Kim said, has begun experimenting with a 12-step program to help kids recover from drug addiction, but there is little in the way of actual drug abuse prevention.

When asked after the session if he believes the South Koreans can learn from U.S. drug prevention methods, one of the teen-agers in the program, Ivan Luna of North Hollywood, said he has doubts. The problem, he said, is that the two countries have different cultures.

“They don’t have the gangs and drugs over there,” he said. “And over here, it’s mixed, you got all the races.”

Another teen-ager in the program, Amanda Vincent of Northridge, had this message for South Korean youth:

“I’m a recovering heroin addict, and going through withdrawals is the worst thing I’ve ever gone through,” she said. “All I can say is don’t try it, because then you’ll want to keep doing it.”