TIME TO DUMP DARE

When the County Council votes on the budget, they should not only
concern themselves with cutting the fat but also dismantle programs
that do not work. One of those is DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance
Education), an ineffectual drug "education" program which not one
study in 27 years has shown to discourage children from using drugs
and alcohol.

Councilwoman Naeole-Beason has done her homework and is absolutely
right in proposing the amendment to shutter DARE and save county
taxpayers $34,000. DARE is a sacred cow in Hawaii for many parents
believe that it deters children from substance use.

Teachers like DARE because it gets them off the hook from having to
teach drug education. Police love it because it promotes their agenda
of community policing. And, DARE is popular with students because
it's a break from academics and comes with kitschy paraphernalia like
DARE dolls, bumper stickers, buttons, T-shirts and hats and a big
graduation party.

Ultimately, the test of DARE or any program should not be about
popularity but effectiveness. Some studies have shown that it
increases the curiosity that children have to take drugs and alcohol.
Don't take my word for it. Google "DARE Effectiveness."

We need to have effective, truthful and age-appropriate school drug
education that involves and enhances parental communication.

There are drug education programs that do that. As Mayor Kenoi
recently stated, at a talk story session in Pahoa, "There is no
substitute for good parenting and supervision." He and Ms.
Naeole-Beason are right. We owe it to our keiki.

Andrea Tischler

Hilo