Pubdate: Wed, 18 Aug 2004
Source: Times, The  (Munster IN)
Copyright: 2004 The Munster Times
Contact:  http://www.nwitimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/832
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1032/a11.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

EFFECTIVE ANTI-DRUG PROGRAMS MUST BE REALITY-BASED

Your July 20 editorial contained excellent advice on preventing adolescent 
drug use. The importance of parental involvement in reducing drug use 
cannot be overstated.

School-based extracurricular activities also have been shown to reduce use. 
They keep kids busy during the hours they're most likely to get into trouble.

In order for drug prevention efforts to reduce harm, they must be 
reality-based. The most popular drug and the one most closely associated 
with violent behavior is often overlooked by parents. That drug is alcohol, 
and it takes far more lives each year than all illegal drugs combined. 
Alcohol might be legal for adults, but it's still the No. 1 drug problem.

For decades, school-based drug prevention efforts have been dominated by 
sensationalist programs such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Good 
intentions are no substitute for effective drug education. Independent 
evaluations of D.A.R.E. have found the program to be either ineffective or 
counterproductive.

The scare tactics used do more harm than good. Students who realize they've 
been lied to about marijuana often make the mistake of assuming that harder 
drugs like methamphetamine are relatively harmless as well. This is a 
recipe for disaster. Drug prevention programs must be reality-based, or 
they might backfire when kids are inevitably exposed to drug use among 
their peers.

Robert Sharpe

Policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager