Pubdate: Sun, 14 Jan 2001
Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Copyright: 2001 The Anchorage Daily News
Contact:  P.O. Box 149001, Anchorage, AK 99514
Fax: Fax (907) 264-8794
Website: http://www.adn.com/
Author: George Comeaux

RESEARCH PROVES D.A.R.E. IS COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME

In your editorial of Dec. 26 ("Teen smokers"), you cite a 15-year study 
showing the ineffectiveness of the current anti-smoking program in our 
schools and righteously demand better. And you should.

Recently, the Office of National Drug Control Policy released statistics 
showing Alaska's children with the highest rates of cigarette, alcohol, 
inhalant and other drug abuse in the country. Is there moral outcry 
demanding better drug education? Why not? Because you don't dare criticize 
D.A.R.E.

D.A.R.E has been the primary drug "education" program since the early '90s. 
It continues as such despite overwhelming evidence it doesn't work. The 
University of North Carolina, the University of Kentucky, the City of 
Detroit, and Salt Lake City among others have all done studies that show 
the same thing: D.A.R.E. is a complete waste of time and money.

The cops will give you treacly stories about "the kids" and how "the 
relationships with the kids" are more important than any substantive 
results. They will poo-poo the peer-reviewed studies showing its failures. 
We pay good money for D.A.R.E. and expect to see results. D.A.R.E. seems to 
have made the problem worse. What happens to those "relationships" when it 
fails? Will that "relationship" make a bit of difference when a 18-year-old 
kid is confronted with a mandatory minimum sentence and a judge with his 
hands tied?

- -- George Comeaux

Anchorage
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