LET'S UTILIZE PROGRAMS THAT WORK FOR OUR YOUTH

Re: DARE program in Oak Bay schools (Our View, May 22)

Investment in efforts to support and protect youth are some of the
most important a community can make. The greatest risk of harm during
the teen years is that of injury or death resulting from the misuse
of alcohol and other drugs.

While it is laudable that the Oak Bay police recognize this as a
priority, the public should be aware that the DARE program, currently
being delivered by the police in local schools, has been shown,
through several long-term evaluation studies, to be ineffective as a
substance misuse prevention program. As a result, DARE, which
represents an abstinence-based approach, has been dropped by many
jurisdictions in the U.K., U.S. and Canada.

Surveys reveal that one-third of adolescents consume hazardous levels
of alcohol at least once a month. Evidence-based interventions
recommended by the UVic-based Centre for Addiction Research of B.C.
(CARBC) focus on harm reduction as a key strategy to protect the
health and safety of youth during experimentation and use of alcohol
and drugs in the teen years. Harm reduction approaches recognize that
substance use will occur but strive to limit opportunities for
high-risk behaviour and to minimize the harms from drinking and drug
use to individuals and society.

We have limited opportunities and resources for influencing youth. We
cannot afford to ignore evidence about what works and what doesn't in
terms of promoting their health and safety. The information is there.
Let's encourage the police to review the evidence before investing in
specific programs.

Kimberley McEwan, PhD

Oak Bay