DARE PROGRAM SIMPLY DOESN'T CUT DRUG USE IN KIDS

Monica Spriggs is to be congratulated for her devotion to kids. It is
obvious that she cares deeply about them and sincerely wants to help. Her
attitude and efforts deserve a round of applause.

Having said that, it is also important to note that good intentions are not
an acceptable substitute for programs that actually work.

The evidence is quite clear that DARE simply does not work to reduce drug
abuse in kids. That's why the federal government has stopped funding for DARE.

It is wonderful that her time in the classroom has allowed her to build
relationships with kids, but the name of the program is "Drug Abuse
Resistance Education." If it doesn't work to reduce drug abuse, then it
doesn't work for its intended purpose.

That is not an "unproved comment," as Staff Sgt. Spriggs referred to it.
That is the overwhelming weight of all the research to date.

Some research shows that, by the senior year in high school, 95 percent of
students regard DARE as having no credibility at all. Other research has
indicated that DARE students may be even more likely to use drugs than
their non-DARE-educated peers.

That is just not good enough. There are school anti-drug programs that work
far better than DARE.

Is the point to support DARE or to keep kids from using drugs? If the real
point is to keep kids from using drugs, then investigate and support other
programs that really do work.

Clifford Schaffer

Agua Dulce, Calif.