STUDIES DOCUMENT THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF DARE

In his May 9 letter in support of the DARE program, Analu Okimoto
states: "There is no research data to claim its ineffectiveness, so
claims as such are pointless." This statement is simply not true.

A Google search on "DARE program effectiveness" will lead you to a
great deal of scientific research, published in peer-reviewed
journals, whose data demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the program.
Research has shown over and over again that DARE does not prevent
smoking, drinking or drug use, let alone save lives.

That's why the U.S. surgeon general, the U.S. General Accounting
Office and the U.S. Department of Education, among others, have
declared the program "ineffective." I find it telling that the
national DARE organization doesn't answer its critics with evidence
of the program's effectiveness, but instead tries to suppress
publication of scientific and general articles about its ineffectiveness.

I can understand that people who have invested their time and energy
in the DARE program would be reluctant to admit that it doesn't work,
and of course no one wants to turn down available funding, but it's
time to put our ever-shrinking resources into something more productive.

Beverly Johnsen

Lahaina