Pubdate: Sat, 07 Apr 2001
Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO)
Copyright: 2001 Columbia Daily Tribune
Contact:  http://www.showmenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/91
Author: Robert Sharpe

STUDIES PROVE DARE PROGRAM'S INEFFECTIVENESS

Editor, the Tribune:

Forrest Rose's excellent April 3 column makes the point that former 
drug czar Barry McCaffrey's claim of drug war victory is less than 
honest. McCaffrey is typical of drug warriors in that he routinely 
uses the drug war's negative consequences as justification for 
increased funding. Alcohol was once very much associated with 
organized crime and violence, but that's no reason to reinstate 
alcohol prohibition.

Rose's use of the popular Drug Abuse Resistance Education program as 
an example of drug warrior misinformation is right on target. Every 
methodologically sound evaluation of DARE has found the program to be 
either ineffective or counterproductive.

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 might backfire when kids are inevitably exposed 
to drug use among their peers. After almost two decades of DARE, 
heroin use among high school seniors has reached record levels. 
Minimizing drug use requires strategies based on proven 
effectiveness, not "feel-good" programs that please parents, 
educators and police.

America's drug problem is far too serious to allow the entrenched 
interests riding the drug war gravy train to dominate the debate.

Drug policy reform might send the wrong message to children, but I 
like to think the children themselves are more important than the 
message.

Robert Sharpe, program officer
The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation
4455 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite B-500
Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe