NATION NEEDS EFFECTIVE DRUG POLICY

Glendale educators need to consider that good intentions are no substitute
for effective anti-drug education.

Every independent, methodologically sound evaluation of the Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (DARE) program has found it to be either ineffective
or counterproductive.

The scare tactics used do more harm than good.

Students who realize they are being lied to about marijuana often make the
mistake of assuming that harder drugs like heroin are relatively harmless
as well.

This is a recipe for disaster.

Drug education programs must be reality-based or they may backfire when
kids are inevitably exposed to drug use among their peers.

Minimizing drug use requires strategies based on proven effectiveness, not
"feel good" programs that please parents, educators and police.

ROBERT SHARPE, Program officer

Drug Policy Alliance

Washington, D.C.