DARE PROGRAM A SCARY, INACCURATE INDOCTRINATION

To the editor:

Many studies have found that the DARE program, and similar scare
tactic anti-drug campaigns, have been proven to make children more
likely to use drugs, not less. When we lie to children about cannabis,
why should they believe us about heroin, or methamphetamine?

The DARE program consists of police officers lying to children,
exaggerating the dangers of certain drugs, and scaring them in the
process.

I went through the DARE program. The first lesson, in grade 3,
consisted of a graphic depiction of a man choking to death on his own
vomit from a heroin overdose, and it was made clear that he got there
by first smoking cannabis. I was never told that cannabis is in fact
NOT a gateway drug, I had to learn that on my own. I can still feel
the emotional wounds from this indoctrination program.

There are plenty of true dangers surrounding drug use that we should,
in fact, tell our children about. But we should do so in an honest,
open, and evidence based way.

It is immoral to lie to children. Furthermore, it is despicable to lie
with the intent to scare them into obedience. The RCMP and anyone else
involved in this program should be ashamed of themselves. The DARE
program is nothing more than taxpayer funded child abuse. It's no
wonder that people have lost respect for the law these days.

Travis Erbacher,

Langley