DARE PROGRAM IS BENEFICIAL

Thursday is National DARE Day, and there is no better time to
acknowledge this fine program which alerts students to the dangers of
drugs and alcohol.

While some people may shake their heads at imparting such information
to students in Grades 5 and 6, the sad reality is, it is necessary in
today's world.

Drugs have been around for quite awhile. In decades past, nobody had
to worry about youth getting into them - especially not youth as
young as 12 or 13.

But times have drastically changed, and with that, much former
innocence has been lost.

Today, a student can enter his or her teens being pressured to at
least try various illegal substances such as marijuana and inhalants.
Even legal, but dangerous, substances such as tobacco or alcohol
become a temptation for youth, as the desire to be "cool" can
override the knowledge of the scientific evidence.

It's important to prepare students for this possibility.

That's why it's called the Drug Abuse RESISTANCE Education program.
It provides children and teens with the wherewithal to say "no" -
politely but firmly, if need be - to that temptation.

There is wider and wider recognition - not only by DARE officers but
by fellow students, as well - that drug and alcohol use is NOT
"cool". There is a growing awareness, especially among youth, that
the disadvantages of using such substances outweigh the advantages.

After all, is there a good side to being so drunk you end up holding
your head over a toilet bowl? Or worse yet, smash into someone else,
hurting or killing that person?

Or what's to be gained by ingesting harsh ingredients you would never
use in a normal situation, only to make yourself hallucinate and then
not remember what you did or said (and again, take the risk of
harming yourself or another person)?

There will always be those who will think such experiences are fun.
But by far, the vast majority of students, and society in general,
know better, and act accordingly.

For those who may be sitting on the fence when it comes to drug and
alcohol abuse, programs such as DARE will provide them with the
incentive they need to avoid the unhappiness that comes with that
experience.

It's not preaching - it's presenting the bare facts.

The ten sessions of the program not only provide students with
information but also bring out their creativity. At their graduation,
which occurs at the tenth session, students get to demonstrate, in
various ways such as song or drama or essays, what they have learned
over the past two months.

Those attending those graduation ceremonies always hear the same
message - but that's because it's valuable and because it always has
to be repeated.

The need for such wisdom still exists, to prevent future heartache
for those whose lives are still very much ahead.

That's why the DARE program is one of the best ways to invest hope
and courage into our future generations.