DARE DEFAMED

In his July 31 letter, "Scare tactics ineffective," Robert Sharpe, a
spokesman for the pro-legalization Lindesmith Center/Drug Policy Alliance,
continues to repeat propaganda about DARE that was fabricated by pro-drug
writer Stephen Glass for Rolling Stone and The New Republic magazines.

DARE sued Glass and both magazines. As part of the settlement, Glass was
heavily fined and required to write a public apology. Unfortunately, though
many newspapers had quoted Glass' anti-DARE articles, few bothered to carry
the apology.

Most parents wanted to believe that DARE's 17 one-hour classes, taught in
the fifth and sixth grades, would inoculate their children against drugs
for life. Still others, often drug users themselves, did not want law
enforcement interacting with their kids.

Meanwhile, on a daily basis, those 17 hours of drug-prevention education
were being eroded by a steady stream of pro-drug messages in music, movies,
magazines and the likes of MTV. Nevertheless, blame for not being good
enough was affixed to DARE.

For long-lasting effect, the entire community must be involved in providing
strong, visible support for a drug-free environment. This requires the
media to stop regurgitating pro-legalization propaganda and do a better job
of getting the medical scientific information to the public about why these
substances are so dangerous.

Sandra S. Bennett

Portland