DARE TEACHES KIDS HOW, WHY TO SAY NO TO DRUGS

Editor, the Tribune:

For the past two months, I've been participating in a program called DARE.
Those past two months have changed my life. There has been a debate lately
in the press specifically about whether this program is beneficial. I
believe it is.

If it were not for the DARE program, I would not have learned so many
helpful things such as how to say no, the reasons to say no, how drugs can
affect your body and why they are bad for you and the consequences of drug use.

This program is not just about drugs, though. It's also about
self-confidence and being assertive, consequences of weapon use and the
four pressures - media, peer, friendly and heavy.

The DARE program is like a health class. It teaches you to take care of
your body by not smoking or drinking or taking illegal drugs. I hope the
DARE program goes on for much longer so other unsuspecting kids will have
the opportunity to learn what I did. Most people turn to drugs because they
want to get away from their problems.

DARE has taught me that drugs don't make your problems go away - they add
to them.

Lauren Bianco
5570 Waterfront Drive N.