DARE'S POPULARITY SQUEEZING OUT MORE SUCCESSFUL ANTI-DRUG PROGRAMS

BOSTON (AP) -- Brian Knuuttila says his most rewarding job was the year he
spent as a DARE officer warning school children about the dangers of drugs.

Now a state representative, Knuuttila is a vocal supporter of a program he
credits with strengthening ties between police and youth.

"There are a lot of people out there throwing rocks at the program because
they think it's nothing more than a public relations vehicle for the
police," said Knuuttila.

"I challenge anyone to come up to me and say here is a better program.
Nothing has stood the test of time as DARE," he said.

But researchers says DARE has no influence on whether a child will use
drugs or alcohol.

Worse still, they say, DARE's popularity among police and parents is
stifling other, more effective drug-fighting programs.

"There's no scientific rationale whatsoever for maintaining DARE in the
schools," said Denise Hallfors, an associate professor at the University of
North Carolina's School of Public Health.

Hallfors surveyed 100 school districts nationwide and found the number one
program they are using is DARE, followed by Here's Looking At You and the
McGruff Drug Prevention and Children Protection Program.

The study found that the programs, which stress "say no to drugs" lectures,
have no long term effect in keeping children off drugs and squeeze out more
successful programs like Life Skills Training and Project Alert.

DARE -- Drug Abuse Resistance Education -- has gained huge popularity since
it was launched by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1983. It operates
in 90 percent of U.S. school districts, reaching about 36 million young people.

It was the only drug prevention program cited by name in an early version
of the federal Safe and Drug Free Schools law, Hallfors said. A 1998
federal policy now requires drug prevention programs be assessed for
effectiveness.

Doubts about DARE's success have done little to dampen support. Even as
Massachusetts lawmakers warn of shrinking revenues, few suggest touching
DARE's $4.3 million budget.

The money is distributed to about 320 programs around the state with Boston
receiving the largest chunk, $15,000. The money pays for books, supplies
and police overtime.

"It's really not a lot of money," said Michael C. Mather, a former DARE
officer who oversees drug education programs in Massachusetts.

But DARE critics say even that small amount of money would be better spent
on programs that work.

Donald Lynam, as associate professor of psychology at the University of
Kentucky, tracked about 1,000 students, some who participated in DARE and
some who didn't, for about a dozen years.

"Essentially DARE had no effect at any age on drug use," he said.

Part of the problem may be the messenger, he said. Students most likely to
use drugs may be suspicious of police.

Another problem is DARE's focus on peer pressure as the main reason for
drug use, ignoring other causes like curiosity or home life, he said.

"(DARE) seems like a good idea to parents and politicians," Lynam said. "It
just doesn't work."

More successful programs, like Reconnecting Youth, abandon lectures and
focus instead on helping students set personal goals and integrate back
into school, Hallfors said.

DARE is responding to the criticism.

Earlier this year it announced it would use a $13.7 million grant from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to test a new curriculum aimed at helping
students develop better decision-making skills.