Pubdate: Fri, 02 Feb 2001
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2001 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108
Feedback: http://www.kansascity.com/Discussion/
Website: http://www.kcstar.com/
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n159/a08.htm
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

DARE PROGRAM

Regarding the Jan. 28 article on the Drug Abuse Resistance Education 
program (B-1), every methodologically sound evaluation of the program has 
found DARE to be either ineffective or counterproductive. Minimizing drug 
use requires strategies based on proven effectiveness, not "feel good" 
programs that please parents, educators and police.

The scare tactics used do more harm than good. Students who realize they 
are being lied to about marijuana often make the mistake of assuming that 
harder drugs are relatively harmless as well. This is a recipe for 
disaster. Anti-drug education programs need to be reality-based or they may 
backfire when kids are inevitably exposed to drug use among their peers. 
DARE is part of the problem, not the solution.

Robert Sharpe, Program Officer, the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy 
Foundation (www.drugpolicy.org)
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D