American Drug War to be Released on DVD May 27th

The new controversial film AMERICAN DRUG WAR, premiered on Showtime March 5th, and is creating a storm of controversy surrounding the content. Filmmaker Kevin Booth lost his mother to alcoholism, a friend to nicotine, and a brother to prescription pills.

The Sustainable Action Network's goal is to raise further awareness about the effects of privately run prison systems. Don Lichterman, the founder of the Sustainable Action Network says that "once prisons became privatized in America, and started trading on Wall Street every day, the facts show gross examples that in order for these prisons to make money every year; they need to fill their facilities." The prisons need to be filled with people in order create profits and revenues for these private companies. Lichterman then says that "Kevin (Booth) spells this out in such an easy to understand way in his documentary film that audiences will be captivated."

There are not enough rapists and murderers to fill the hundreds of private prisons located in many states in the US. The "trickle down" effect is a natural one considering the main bi-laws of any corporation is to create revenues for that company. Since there are only so many people that commit violent crimes, the incarceration of non-violent offenders using drugs becomes an easy target for the criminal justice system.

The staff at the Barack Obama campaign has recognized this failure by answering Booth saying they "will review drug sentences to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduce the blind and counterproductive sentencing of non-violent offenders." Obama also supports the use of medical marijuana calling the War on Drugs a "failure."

This issue is especially relevant today. During the Bill Clinton Presidency, millions of people were incarcerated into the prison system. Hundreds of private prisons were also built all over the United States during that span of time. The documentary film cleverly allows the former drug czar Barry McCaffrey to tell that story, who under the Clinton administration arrested over four million people for using marijuana. Those non-violent drug offenders are still in privately owned, highly profitable prisons today.

If you want a clear and concise look at this issue, the Kevin Booth award winning documentary is the perfect film. "This documentary needs to be available for the public to see," says Lichterman. (Kevin) Booth will utilize (Don) Lichterman's resources with Sunset Records (www.SunsetLabelGroup.com) and the Sunset Home Visual Entertainment (SHE) (www.SunsetHomeVisual.com) Distribution system. Sacred Cow is distributed by the exceptional Indy Film and Documentary Distribution Company, Passion River (www.PassionRiver.com). Currently, the American Drug War film is playing on Showtime all month and is also available at Showtime On-Demand.

This current rotation and future DVD release is coming off the heels of an unprecedented FOUR (4) consective festival wins for best Documentary Film. Filmmaker Kevin Booth spent over four years seeking the answer to why three of the closest people in his life, had all died in ways that made him think about the "War On Drugs" and whether it is working in the United States. Booth interviewed world leaders and activist Ralph Nader, libertarian Ron Paul, comedian (and non violent drug offender) Tommy Chong, the proclaimed originator of crack cocaine Ricky Ross (from federal Prison), former drug czar Barry McCaffrey, a former CIA Agent, a State Senator, County Sheriffs, Top Ranking Police Officers, lawyers, incarcerated prisoners and judges that stand on the frontlines of the war on drugs.

Prison jobs are not limited to cleaning highways, parks and making license plates. Many prisons field telephone calls and some telemarketing is done from prison facilities in the United States. Lichterman then asks, "When was the last time we had people working for other people for pennies or no money?" Lichterman ends by saying his "point is that if you are purposely filling these facilities with non violent people just to have them at capacity every year, and then that same system in turns has these same people do various work labor, then that is a failure".

Just as Lichterman was astounded by finding this out by watching Booth's documentary, the answers Booth heard on his journey shocked him over the past few years. The AMERICAN DRUG WAR: The Last White Hope examines the longest and costliest so called war in the U.S. history.

Starring in interviews is Tommy Chong, Freeway Ricky Ross, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Mike Ruppert, General Barry McCaffrey Celerino Castillo III, Judge James Gray, T Rodgers, Joe Rogan, Ron Paul, Ralph Nader , and Jello Biafra. For promotion copies of the DVD film and for press related issues, please contact Jennifer Billings (Jennifer.Billings @ SunsetHolding.com) and / or Kevin Booth (kevinbooth @ adelphia.net)

Check the Showtime listings for the AMERICAN DRUG WAR film which premiered this month on Showtime.

The Showtime Network has also made this important film available at Showtime On Demand for everyone to order at any time during the week.

Starting on 04/20/2008, the American Drug War: The Last White Hope DVD will be made available exclusively at www.SacredCow.com, the www.SunsetainableActionNetwork.org web site and at the Sunset Music Store. The Passion River Film Distribution Company will be servicing retail for the DVD on the official street date of 5/27/2008. The DVD is filled with over three hours of bonus footage.