Pubdate: Sun, 17 Jun 2001
Source: Sunday Star-Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2001 Sunday Star-Times
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/1064
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

DARE DRUG PROGRAMME IS FAILING

New evidence suggesting recent campaigns using high-profile drug educators 
have failed, shows good intentions are no substitute for effective 
anti-drug education.

Here in the United States the high-profile Drug Abuse Resistance Education 
programme is finally being acknowledged as the failure it is. Every 
methodologically sound, independent evaluation has found it either 
ineffective or counterproductive. Its scare tactics do more harm than good. 
Students who realise they are being lied to about cannabis often make the 
mistake of assuming that harder drugs are relatively harmless as well.

This is a recipe for disaster. Anti-drug education needs to be 
reality-based or it will backfire when kids are inevitably exposed to drug 
use among their peers.

After almost two decades of DARE, heroin use in high school seniors has 
reached record levels. Minimising drug use requires strategies of proven 
effectiveness, not "feel good" programmes that please parents, educators 
and police.

Robert Sharp

Lindesmith Centre

Drug Policy Foundation

Washington
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager