STUDY BOLSTERS DARE PROGRAM

Report Shows That Participants Are Five Times Less Likely To Smoke

Police officers who teach the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
program have long relied on anecdotal evidence to measure its success. Now
a new study helps prove what they've always believed.

True, the report by the Washington-based Journal of the National Medical
Association (NMA) focuses only on smoking, but its results still bolster
the view that DARE in fact does have a positive impact on its young
participants.

The study found that students who completed the DARE program were five
times less likely to start smoking, compared to youngsters who did not
participate. Researchers also found a direct correlation between knowledge
about the risks of smoking and increases in smoking avoidance.

"This study validates what DARE instructors, DARE graduates and their
parents have known for years -- DARE works," says DARE America President
Glenn Levant. "Through DARE's comprehensive curriculum, students are armed
with the tools needed to reject destructive behaviours such as smoking,
drinking and taking drugs."

The 17-week DARE program -- presented to all Grade 6 students with both
school boards in Halton -- teaches youth about self esteem and will power
in refusing offers of drugs and alcohol, options how to deal with the
stress of peer pressure and means to solve problems without resorting to
violence. This year alone, more than 36 million children in 55 countries
were enrolled in DARE.

Quantifying the fact that the program works is not about ego, says Halton
Regional Police education services co-ordinator Sgt. Joe Prasad, but is
important for several very pragmatic reasons.

First, Prasad says some hard evidence will help fundraisers when they
approach area service clubs and other groups for financial contributions to
help keep Halton's $500,000 DARE program up and running. When someone asks
about supporting studies -- as they invariably do, says Prasad -- the NMA's
smoking findings will be invaluable.

Earlier this year, the Halton public and Catholic school boards withdrew
their financial support for the program citing budget restraints."We need
to get the support behind us," said Prasad.

The study results can likewise be offered to parents, who are justifiably
concerned about their children, but want at least some assurances that DARE
actually works. (Prasad said one parent is so impressed with the program
they offered a percentage of their company's sales to DARE.)

That said, Prasad has no illusions that every child will be steered away
from smoking, drugs and violence -- just as driving instructors know it's
impossible that none of their students will ever get into an accident.

"We hope they will have learned from this and take it through their adult
life, but we have to be practical," he said. "Still, it's incumbent on us
to teach children these life skills. Society will be better for that."

DARE America, which controls the program globally, will likely change its
curriculum starting with the September 2003 school year and Canada is
expected to follow suit. Rather than one 17-week program, it might become
three blocks spread over three grades, the last one in Grade 9. (Prasad
said he's not certain if Canada will also adopt the U.S. model of teaching
DARE starting in Grade 5 rather than Grade 6.)

One aspect that won't change, said Prasad, is that DARE will continue to be
taught only by police officers, since -- in addition to the anti-drug
message -- the program affords children the chance to see officers up close
and de-mystified.

"We have to be proactive," said Prasad. "If not, all we're doing is chasing
our tails as youths go in and out of the (legal) system."

Prasad is adamant that one important factor in the quality of life in any
community is crime, or the lack thereof. If officers can head bad behaviour
off at the pass, all the better, he said.