EXPERIMENTAL DARE PROGRAM WON'T CHANGE LOCAL PROGRAMS

Hoping to take advantage of new research, the national D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse
Resistance Education) program is looking at a different approach.

A news release sent to D.A.R.E. officers and programs around the country
states the nation's largest substance abuse prevention program will be
testing a new substance abuse prevention curriculum in six U.S. cities.

But here in the Wichita Falls area, the programs will continue as before.

Electra Police Officer Cody Shaw, who heads up the D.A.R.E. program in the
west Wichita County city, said Friday he is aware of the new curriculum,
but hasn't gotten much information on it.

"From my understanding it's not going to change my D.A.R.E. program," Shaw
said. "What we have here now is effective and it's working.

For more information, visit the following websites:
http://www.dare-america.com, http://www.TexasDARE.net, and
http://www.publicagenda.org.