We found this marijuana cigarette
in David's drawer
during the cursory search
of the dormitory
in anticipation
of the Parents' Day Open House.
Well, are you really sure
that it's David's?
I've been at Cambridge for years,
Mr. James.
Each boy is like a son to me.
David is the first that I've ever had
to discipline for drug possession.
There's no mistake. It's his.
I can't believe it.
I just can't believe that our son--
Dr. Windsor,
if you could know us a little better,
the kind of people we are,
the kind of values that we've instilled
- in David since he was a baby.
- I'm sure that's true.
Will the police
have to be called in on this?
Oh, I don't see how the situation
should become as drastic as all that,
Dr. Windsor.
I'm a public personality.
And, well,
that kind of thing with police
can't help but bring down
some very unfair publicity on David.
And, of course, also on the school.
Yes, of course, you're quite right.
That kind of thing
would be most unfortunate for David.
And, as you say, the school
does have a reputation to maintain.
A responsibility
to the other students and parents.
Because of that,
David's gonna have to be disciplined
as an example to the other students
so that they'll realise
the gravity of the situation.
You're not gonna expel him,
are you?
Well, if it happens again,
I'll have no choice.
But from now, my recommendation
will be that he be confined to campus
and denied privileges
for the next four weekends.
Well, Dr. Windsor,
that seems very fair.
Well, it will give him a chance
to reflect on his problem
and keep him away from the crowd
he sees on weekends.
Do you think that David
got the marijuana
from his friends at home?
Well, he certainly didn't get it here.
I knew sooner or later
something like this would happen.
I've asked two officers
from the Narcotics Squad
to come over here this afternoon,
talk to the students about dr*gs.
We're not going to have
this kind of thing at Cambridge.
Of course,
there will be an additional fee
for keeping David here
with the weekend boarders.
We'll bill you with next term's tuition.
Of course.
Well, I want to thank you, doctor,
for your understanding
and for your discretion.
dr*gs are for losers.
And Cambridge
doesn't graduate losers.
Oh, we know that, doctor.
Yes, well,
let's hope that David does too.
Thank you.
Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.
One question.
Just one, yes or no.
Was that your grass?
Your marijuana cigarette?
- Yes, sir. But--
- Save it.
Save your excuses for your mom.
She may be interested in them.
I'm not.
You let me down, pal.
Betrayed all of us.
You are a profound disappointment
to me, my son.
I have to get back to the studio.
I have to go to work.
Diane...
I'll see you at home tonight.
So, what's gonna happen?
Dr. Windsor's been very understanding
under the circumstances.
You'll be grounded, but you are going
to get another chance.
- Mom, a lot of kids--
- I don't wanna hear it, David.
Just say no.
It's as simple as that.
From now on, just say no.
Okay.
Don't disappoint us again.
And at : in the morning,
the -year-old girl turned in
her stepfather for using cocaine.
Police confiscated
several grams of the drug,
and the youth authorities say that Rita
and her mother and stepfather
will be joining a family
counselling programme this week.
Rita's story
isn't the first drug-related news item
this reporter's filed this year.
Nor, unfortunately, will it be the last.
Both you and I know
that the drug menace
has invaded every level of society,
contaminating
everything it touches.
My fervent hope
is that because of girls like Rita,
America will have the fortitude
and the resolve, finally,
to stand up to this drug menace.
Sometimes, it is our children
who have to lead the way.
You tell them, Dad.
I am not standing up here to talk to you
about the facts of life.
You're all a little bit too old for that.
But as you prepare
to go on to college,
I would like to talk to you
about the facts of death.
Last year, thousands of teenagers d*ed
on our highways in traffic accidents.
In most cases, those accidents
were caused by other teenagers
who were either too drunk
or too stoned
to know how many people
they m*rder*d
until they woke up in the hospital
the next day.
If they woke up at all.
You, what's your name?
- Me?
- Yeah, you, what's your name?
Bradford Dietrich.
Well, am I boring you, Mr. Dietrich?
Oh, no, sir,
I find this simply fascinating.
It's just that no one at Cambridge
uses dr*gs.
And you're quite sure of that,
Mr. Dietrich?
Quite sure. dr*gs are for losers.
Cambridge graduates winners.
It's your decision to make.
I mean, you know who
among your friends are using dr*gs.
It's your choice whether you hang out
with those guys.
On the news today,
there was a story about a girl who
turned her parents in for using dr*gs.
Yeah.
I'm sure
there are some of you here today
whose parents are using dr*gs.
Maybe more than we think.
I mean, they might even lecture you
on the dangers of dr*gs,
then go right in the other room
and pull out their own stuff.
Guys, you gotta call them on it.
If they're gonna be hypocrites,
you gotta let them know that you know.
What if they deny it?
If they don't admit it?
Guys, listen to me.
dr*gs are against the law.
But more importantly,
they can k*ll you.
And if your only choice to keep
your parents from k*lling themselves
is to turn them in to the police,
then you have got to make that call.
You've got to.
- Aren't you going home this weekend?
- I'm grounded.
You know,
I can't believe your parents.
What a couple of creeps
to let Windsor do that to you.
They could have handled him.
I better take my stash.
Windsor's probably gonna have dogs
in here this weekend,
sniffing for the old devil weed.
Hey, take it easy.
It's a little late to be getting rid
of the evidence, isn't it?
Hey, Brad.
I just come by to see if you need
a little something for the weekend,
and here you are
flushing my primo stuff down the toilet.
I'm not gonna be doing dr*gs
anymore, Brad.
Those narcs didn't scare you,
did they?
Some of the things they said,
they made sense.
No, you're just a little frazzed
because you got busted.
Don't worry.
The store will be open for you
when you get back.
Now, look, I gotta make tracks.
Leah and I
are going to the movies tonight.
- It's my birthday.
- Happy birthday.
Thanks, kid.
What is it? What's happened?
Is my wife all right?
Your wife's fine.
You'd better go inside.
What happened? Was it a robbery?
No, it wasn't a robbery, Mr. James.
- Are you in charge?
- I am.
What's going on is that you and
your wife are under arrest, Mr. James.
Under Section
of the state criminal code,
possession of controlled substance.
What are you talking about,
controlled substance?
We found this in your garage.
It was next to your skis,
but it isn't the kind of snow
that you ski on.
That's a mistake.
Do you know who I am?
My wife watches you every night.
Well, you don't have any right
to come into my house
and treat my wife and me
like this without a warrant.
I hope you've got one.
We don't need a warrant, sir,
we have probable cause.
- What probable cause?
- We received a tip.
Tip? From who?
From me.
What the hell is going on here?
Gentlemen, would you excuse me
just for a minute?
- Let me talk to my son.
- I can't do that.
We have to take you and your wife
down to the station.
- That's insane.
- Who's gonna take care of our son?
Officers Smith and Gordon will be
taking the boy to a county shelter
till this matter can be cleared up.
Well, anybody could have put
that stuff in,
whatever it is, in the garage,
and you know it.
I know that, sir.
But your boy told us where to look.
You have the right to remain silent.
If you give up the right,
anything you say can and will be used
against you in a court of law.
You have the right to speak
with an attorney
and have the attorney
present during questioning.
If you so desire and you cannot afford,
an attorney will be appointed to you
without charge before questioning.
He didn't have to stay in this place.
Well, for some kids,
it's their only chance.
Maybe for some kids,
but not for David.
What do you mean?
I mean, I am the one who gave him the
big pep talk on turning his parents in.
What, now you're not so sure?
You gotta admit, Jonathan,
the Jameses didn't look very guilty.
I mean, I should know. I was a cop.
Well, let's see
what we can find out from him.
- Hey, David, how are you doing?
- Did you come to take me home?
No, no, son, you can't go home yet.
But I talked to your mom
this morning.
She and your dad
are gonna stop by later today.
Well, will they take me home?
I'm afraid they can't take you home
until after a juvenile court judge
decides whether they're fit to take you.
There should be a hearing
on Monday or Tuesday.
Fit? They're my parents.
Who've been charged
with a serious crime.
Listen, son,
we know you were being disciplined
by Dr. Windsor and your folks.
If there's anything you wanna change
in your story, let's do it now
before anybody gets hurt
any worse than they are.
You don't believe me, do you?
Son, this is serious.
If your folks need help,
let's get it for them.
But if you're just trying
to get back at them,
I think we ought to know
so this thing doesn't go any further.
I told the truth.
Don, if I'm guilty,
there's no way in the world you can
keep me on air as an anchorman.
I know that, that's flat.
But as it happens,
happily, I'm not guilty.
Just let me go on the air
this afternoon.
I can straighten out
this whole mess.
You're gonna have to use the story
between now and then.
Just make sure you say
I'll have a full statement to make
on the : news.
At least we can get some ratings
out of this thing.
Thanks, Don. Yeah, okay, bye-bye.
Did you mean
what you told the station manager
about being able
to straighten things out?
I better mean it
if you would like to go on
living in this house.
Son or not, truth has to come out.
Why would he do this?
He was caught
with marijuana in the dorm.
We grounded him
for four weekends.
This is his way of getting even.
I just can't believe David would do
something like that to us.
That's what dr*gs do to people.
It was David
who made the phone call to the police.
David who knew
where the dr*gs were.
What are we gonna do?
The only thing we can do.
He needs help, he's going to get it.
But I'm not going to sit here and watch
everything we've built destroyed
because somebody in this family
is a drug addict.
Look who's here.
- How you doing, Brad?
- Hi, Mr. Smith.
I should have known
you'd be a Clint Eastwood fan.
- This is my girlfriend, Leah.
- Nice to meet you.
I've never met a cop before
who doesn't wear a uniform.
Are you on
some kind of assignment?
Yeah, you could say that.
Can I talk to you for a minute, Brad?
Sure, always have time
for the police.
I'll be back in a minute.
So you heard about what happened
to David's parents?
Yeah, who would have guessed?
Ronald James, Mr. Clean.
Doc Windsor's probably crossing
his name off the alumni roster
as we speak.
Well, I'm more concerned with David
right now than I am with his father.
What does this have to do with me?
We know someone's
dealing dr*gs at Cambridge.
Not just marijuana.
Speed, coke, you name it.
And you want me to help catch him?
No, I want you to retire him.
Today, before I have to.
It sounds like you think
I'm some friend of his.
You're more than just a friend, Brad.
You better have some proof
before you go around
accusing people of dealing dr*gs.
This is America.
Even cops have to have proof.
I've got my rights.
What about the rights
of the kids you're poisoning?
Hey, I don't need this.
You wanna search me, go ahead.
You wanna search my room
at school, get a warrant.
Ten.
- Sure you don't want some dinner?
- I told you, I'm not hungry.
They should have been here
by now.
Hey, don't worry, they'll come.
Hello? Yes, he is.
David, it's your mom.
Mom, where are you?
At the station?
Is everything all right? I mean,
Dad didn't get fired or anything.
Officer Gordon,
can you turn on the television?
My dad's gonna make a statement.
Okay, I'll call you right after.
It's just sort of instinctive.
I guess we all think
that this country's drug menace
is the other guy's problem.
Well, as you may have heard
on this newscast,
last night,
that problem came to my house.
It started yesterday afternoon
when the headmaster
of my son's school
told us our son, David,
was a drug user.
Now, last night,
the police came to our house
and more dr*gs were found
on the premises.
My wife and I
were understandably shocked,
until we discovered it was David
who phoned in the drug tip
in a desperate attempt
to draw attention away
from his own guilt.
David has started seeing
a drug counsellor this afternoon,
and my wife and I will join him
later this evening.
Like any parents,
we've been asking ourselves
where we went wrong.
But I'm not sure
that there's a true answer there.
So many factors--
That boy's father's got a lot of guts.
It wasn't easy for him
to make that statement.
You know, David,
what your dad did today,
he did for you
and for other kids like you.
You know, you're pretty lucky
to have him for a dad.
So he tells me.
How much longer till we get there?
Another half-hour.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I'm so sorry this happened, but...
- I just had--
- It's all right.
We know now
that by calling the police,
you were really crying out for help
for yourself.
It's good to have you home.
We'll b*at this business together.
It wasn't my coke.
Well, let's talk about it later.
It's been a long day for everybody.
Just because you said it on television,
doesn't mean it's the truth.
Honey, why don't you and I
go up to your room now?
I want to thank you two gentlemen
for everything that you've done.
- If it wasn't for your support--
- We're both very fond of David.
Well, we are too, ordinarily.
The drug counsellor said that
denial is common in young drug users.
It's supposed
to be the first sign of addiction.
Yeah, well denial is very common
among all drug addicts.
Both young and old.
Well, we'd better be going.
Good night, sir.
Good night.
Mr. Dietrich, I'm Officer Smith.
I spoke at your son's school
last Friday.
Oh, yes, you're the Vice cop
that Brad talked about.
- Come in, officer.
- Thank you.
Is something wrong?
- This is Mrs. Dietrich.
- Hello.
Well, Brad's not home, officer.
I think he's out with his girl.
I didn't come here to talk to Brad,
Mrs. Dietrich.
Why don't we go
into the living room?
- Make yourself comfortable.
- Thank you very much.
What can we do for you, officer?
Mr. Dietrich, I wish there was
an easier way to say this.
But I have reason to believe
that your son, Brad,
has been dealing dr*gs
at Cambridge.
Brad? Mixed up with dr*gs?
That's impossible.
Brad could never be involved
with dr*gs, officer.
He's the most popular boy
in the school.
Your son is popular, Mrs. Dietrich,
but I guarantee you,
it's not because of his personality.
I tried to talk to him yesterday,
and I didn't have any luck.
I thought if he heard it
from his family--
His family doesn't believe you,
officer.
His family knows him
a little better than you.
Now I think it's time for you to leave.
I'm sorry that's your attitude.
And the next time
you come in the house
and accuse my son of peddling dr*gs,
you better have a warrant.
You know, it's really funny,
that's what your son said.
"Get a warrant."
Look, Mr. Dietrich,
I didn't come here to bust your son.
I came here to help him.
I was hoping you'd feel the same way.
We'll take care of our son, officer.
Well, you better
because, otherwise, I'm going to.
And then it's gonna be too late
for your son, Mr. Dietrich.
I'll show myself out.
Got a minute?
What do you want?
I wanna talk.
You already did.
To your viewers.
I came home early
so that we could discuss this,
as they say, man-to-man.
It was your coke.
I did it so it wouldn't k*ll you.
Yes, it was my coke.
And I know that what you did,
you did out of love.
And I love you for it.
I just did it so that you would stop.
I know.
I know.
But now,
you've got to grow up very fast
because this is the real world
we're dancing in here.
This is not the hypothetical speech
you got at school.
dr*gs can k*ll. Cocaine kills, Dad.
I know what cocaine does, my son.
Yes, it kills people who can't--
Who don't know when to stop.
Young people.
But I can handle this substance.
David, try to understand.
Some days,
I'm working , hours preparing,
just to get ready to do
the : news.
And I gotta go on looking fresh.
That's the name of the game.
Well, I--
That doesn't mean I--
I'm not an addict.
Then quit.
All right.
All right. Maybe it is time I quit.
Do you mean that?
I promise.
But if I get busted for coke,
my boy, we lose everything.
I lose my job. We lose this house.
We lose it all.
That's the real world, kiddo.
But if you'll help me out of this jam
that you got me into
without even talking to me first...
If you'll tell a judge
that the coke was yours,
the worst you'll get
is a slap on the wrist
and maybe a week or two
in drug school.
Won't even go on your record.
If I say it was mine,
promise me you'll stop?
I promise you before almighty God.
Now, let's go down
and tell your mom.
And let's not tell her
about our arrangement.
Because she doesn't know anything
about this, about me.
You know,
now that I'm gonna quit anyway,
there's no sense in upsetting her.
I love you, Dad.
I love you, my boy.
Hey, bro.
How's the Abominable Snowman
of Cambridge Prep?
Knock it off, Brad.
Hey, I just came by
to give you your books.
That is,
in case they ever let you back.
I'm not coming back, but thanks.
Sure. What are friends for?
I also figured,
since they got your stash,
maybe you need a little more.
It wasn't mine. I told you that before.
It was my dad's.
And you're gonna
take the rap for him?
Look, I've never even tried cocaine.
Well, then,
don't you figure he owes you?
What do you mean?
If you're gonna do the time,
you might as well enjoy the crime,
you know.
How about a little toot?
No.
Listen,
thanks for bringing my books by.
But why don't you take off, okay?
Sure thing.
But just remember,
if you ever need a little something,
don't go to a stranger.
Know what I mean?
Later, bro.
Then you have proof
of this prevalent drug use on campus?
Yes, I can give you proof,
but I'd rather not get involved that way.
What's important right now is that
the parents realise what's happening.
I'd like you to call a special
parents assembly
so I can talk to them.
I'm afraid that's impossible,
Officer Smith.
We don't like to involve the parents
in these matters.
That's why they send the boys
to Cambridge
so that we can teach them
the discipline and values
that are needed in the world.
That's just my point, Dr. Windsor.
I mean, no school can deal
with this country's drug problem
without involving the parents.
I mean, parental example and concern
is at the heart of the solution.
You have to admit, even Cambridge,
with all of its ivy and tradition,
can't replace
a boy's mother and father.
I must say, Officer Smith,
you have a lot to say about a world
you obviously know nothing about.
Are you telling me
you won't call that assembly?
I can't unduly alarm the parents.
You know, you say you treat each one
of these boys like he was your own,
and yet you'd let them
destroy themselves
rather than offend their parents.
I think you're more concerned
with your endowment fund, doctor,
than you are with your boys.
David, you surprised me.
I can't get used to the idea of you
being home in the middle of the day.
What are you doing?
Nothing.
What does it look like I'm doing?
Nothing.
What does that mean?
It means nothing.
Nothing means nothing.
Nothing does.
Brad, it's David.
Yeah, listen, why don't you come over
this afternoon? My parents are gone.
Hey, like you said, he owes me one.
David?
David, let me in.
David, what's going on here?
You're not back on dr*gs again,
are you?
No, Mom. Some friends dropped by.
We had a few beers.
Well, you're gonna have hell to pay
when your father comes home.
We're not sending you
to a drug counsellor
so you can become a drunk.
Don't worry, Mom. It'll be all right.
We'll see how all right it is
when your father gets here.
He won't be mad, believe me.
Dad's real understanding.
Ronald, thank God you're home.
I can't stop, I left part of my lead story.
I've gotta get right back.
- David is back on dr*gs.
- That's nonsense.
No, Ronald,
just please go talk to him, will you?
I'll be with you in a minute.
Okay, let's make it quick.
David, what is this
your mother's telling me?
You're doing dr*gs?
Dad, oh, no,
we just had a few beers.
You didn't act like someone
who had just had a few beers.
Dad, we had our talk.
We both know
the importance of being honest
with one another, don't we?
Don't we, Dad?
Yeah.
Yeah, we do.
He's just had a few beers, that's all.
It's nothing to get all upset about.
Ronald.
I've gotta go.
I'm gonna miss the broadcast.
Told you he'd understand.
Baker - . Baker - .
You have a message
from Mrs. James to call her.
She said it's urgent.
Baker - , roger.
Let's get to a phone.
- Hello?
- Mrs. James, Officer Smith.
- Officer Smith, thank God.
- What's wrong?
I've been trying to reach my husband,
but they won't interrupt him on the air.
It's David. He's locked in his room.
He's swearing and acting crazy.
I'm sure he's back on dr*gs.
All right, you take it easy.
We'll be right there.
David?
Officers Smith and Gordon are here.
They'd like to talk to you.
Come on, open up the door, David.
- You don't look so good, son.
- I don't feel so good.
David, we wanna know
what's going on.
He promised me.
He promised me he'd stop.
- I should have known.
- Promised? Who promised?
My dad, my dad, that's who.
What's he talking about?
What's happened to my son?
Diane? David?
Ronald?
Diane, where the hell are you?
Ronald.
What is that police car
doing outside?
- David is back on dr*gs.
- What?
He's up there mumbling things
about some promise
that you've broken to him.
- Promise, what promise?
- The promise that you made to him.
That if he took the blame
for the cocaine we found in the garage,
you'd stop using dr*gs.
He said that?
I don't know what he's talking about.
Oh, yes, you do
because it's the truth.
Oh, that's ridiculous.
Ronald doesn't use dr*gs,
Officer Smith.
He hates dr*gs.
Ronald, tell them that it isn't true.
Of course it's not true.
He's under a great deal of stress.
He's had a relapse or something.
Oh, come on.
Your son didn't have a relapse.
He never used cocaine until today
when he saw you doing it.
I don't have to put up with this.
It's very easy to prove me wrong.
Just show me the contents of the vial
you have in your jacket pocket.
Okay, that's it, Smith.
You don't have probable cause
and you don't have a warrant.
I want you out of here, now.
Jonathan, you can't bust him.
It'll never stick.
I said out.
There's nothing more
we can do tonight, Mrs. James.
But just remember, you don't need
a warrant to save your family.
What are you looking at me f--?
You don't believe that--?
- What's in your pocket?
- What are you doing?
What's in your pocket?
What's happening to you?
- You--
- What's in your pocket?
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to knock...
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Your own son.
You betrayed your own son
for what's in here?
- Get out of here.
- Diane, listen.
Go to your station, read your news.
Go do your dr*gs.
Just get out of here.
Get out! Get out!
Get out.
I still can't believe it.
A father doing that to his own son.
It's cocaine, Mark.
It changes people.
The drug becomes everything.
Their friends, their family,
they don't mean a thing.
Code , Code at the parking lot
on th and Broadway.
A girl has passed out,
possible drug overdose.
All units in the vicinity, proceed.
Let's hit it.
Out of the way, out of the way,
out of the way.
Get back, get back.
What happened?
I don't know.
She must have just passed out
or something.
Did she take any pills?
Is she on dr*gs?
No. No, there was nothing.
If she's gonna have a chance,
you're gonna have to tell him.
I'm getting a faint pulse.
It's going quick.
Tell him.
It was cocaine.
You okay, Ron?
- Yeah.
- You sure?
I'm okay, get away from me.
All right. All right, I just asked.
New lead story just came in.
Another kid OD'd.
Places, please.
Places, Ron.
And now,
the Action Witness News at .
- Stand by.
- With the most respected newsman,
- Three.
- Ronald James
- Two...
- and the Action Witness Team.
Something's wrong with him.
Punch up a slide.
- I said, punch up a slide.
- I can't. It won't work.
A young girl is dead tonight
from an overdose of cocaine.
I knew the girl.
She was a friend of my son.
But it could just as easily
have been my child or yours.
And when you read about the death
of Leah Barnes in tomorrow's paper,
most of you
will want to blame somebody.
The boy who gave her the dr*gs
or the gangsters who brought
the dr*gs into the country
or the politicians
who can't stop them.
And maybe you'd be right.
But it's also my fault
that this child is dead.
Because I'm a drug user too.
You want me to pull the plug?
Maybe I can shut off his mike.
No, push in closer.
I've been a cocaine addict
for the past four years.
So...
It was my money that helped to build
the drug empire in this country.
And it was my habit
that made me betray my own son
because I couldn't admit
that I'm an addict.
But you don't have to be a drug addict
to be a part of the problem.
As parents, we can't depend
on the police and the paramedics
to save our children.
And your children can't just write off
what they do as being cool
or getting kicks.
The police, the courts,
county social services.
These are second options.
The first option is you.
The families of this country.
I betrayed myself and my family.
Don't you do it to yours.
They're all you've got.
They're all any of us ever have.