cannabisnews.com: Anti-Drug Efforts Found Ineffective 





Anti-Drug Efforts Found Ineffective 
Posted by CN Staff on August 03, 2002 at 16:44:41 PT
Staff and Wire Services 
Source: Daily News 
The top three programs used by schools to keep students away from drugs are either ineffective or haven't been sufficiently tested, new research suggests.In a study being published today in Health Education Research, a journal for educators, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say many schools are using popular programs such as DARE, Here's Looking at You 2000 and McGruff's Drug Prevention and Child Protection, which haven't shown the kind of results that schools should expect, despite years of use. 
"It's not a very good use of taxpayer money," said Denise Hallfors, now a substance abuse prevention researcher at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a nonprofit group. She was at the University of North Carolina when she conducted the research.The study found that, in spite of a decade of efforts from the federal government to promote proven programs, many schools still use "heavily marketed curricula that have not been evaluated, have been evaluated inadequately or have been shown to be ineffective in reducing substance abuse."The most popular, DARE, Drug Abuse Resistance Education, was created by police officers in Los Angeles in 1983 to teach children about the dangers of drugs. More than 50,000 officers have been trained nationwide and the program is being implemented in 80 percent of school districts. In response to criticism that its program is ineffective, DARE America is conducting a five-year study to evaluate a new curriculum.Rona Bole, coordinator of health education programs for the Los Angeles Unified School District, disputed that DARE is ineffective in preventing substance abuse among children."Police officers see the results of what happens to people when they do drugs," she said. "Kids tend to believe them more so than others."We have found that, especially at elementary school levels, even at our middle-school programs, students love to have DARE officers come in. They love the interaction. They learn a great deal." Bole said DARE is much more than persuading youngsters to avoid drugs; it is about helping them devise life skills."It helps build confidence in kids. It helps give them the skills they need to be able to face a situation when they are asked to do drugs," she said. "It teaches them how to deal with violence and anger."Ruby-Ann Rudnick, principal of Normandie Elementary School in South Central, said the positive impacts DARE has had on her students cannot be measured by numbers."When the police affect the life of one child, they have done a great thing," she said. "If they can keep one child off drugs and out of jail, it's worth the expense of the city of L.A. It's much cheaper than incarcerating a child as they become adults."Before the Los Angeles Police Commission cut the budget of the DARE program, Normandie used to have one DARE police officer spend a full day with students once a week.Now only middle schools in the district have DARE programs."It's a tremendous loss," Rudnick lamented.Hallfors' study, which polled 104 school districts in 11 states and the District of Columbia, showed that many schools are using research-based programs, but that they often don't train teachers adequately or don't use all the materials available. Only one in three school districts used the programs effectively, the study showed.She also said federal funding for such programs -- about $5 per child annually -- isn't enough, because school districts should hire a full-time coordinator."If you're getting $4,000 a year, you're not able to hire that person," Hallfors said.The survey included school districts from Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.Other researchers have found that illegal drug use among teenagers has remained level or decreased over the past several years.A July survey showed that drug, alcohol and cigarette use among sixth- to 12th-graders dropped to the lowest level since 1994, partly because adults are warning students about drug use and encouraging kids to nurture other interests. Complete Title: Anti-Drug Efforts Found Ineffective or in Need of Study Source: Daily News of Los Angeles (CA)Published: Saturday, August 3, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Daily News of Los AngelesWebsite: http://www.DailyNews.com/Contact: http://www.dailynews.com/info/contact/CannabisNews DARE Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/DARE.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by culebra on August 04, 2002 at 07:56:24 PT
News?
My question is, is it a solid way to use taxpayer money to keep debasing a program that has already been proven innefective? The guy who started D.A.R.E. has even admitted the worthlessness of the whole thing. Not only is it worthless, but some studies have indicated that, after an initial effectiveness, D.A.R.E "grads" are MORE likely to "experiment" with illicit drugs. This is because a)D.A.R.E. familiarizes them with drugs and b)they familiarize them in such ridiculous ways that upon trying drugs for the first time, kids discover that they are not the devil....and then the trouble can start.I remember being in a D.A.R.E type program and having them tell me that pot was the worst drug ever and that LSD transported you to a fantasy world where you saw fantastic things. And that was supposed to make me NOT do LSD the first chance I got? Failures. Failures and charlatans trying to fill some unknown void by constructing an image of and for themselves as protectors of children. Addicted to self-importance, they are.
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on August 04, 2002 at 07:46:29 PT
Just saw this LTE, of interest.
pertaining to the tv show... Perhaps We can create and see more of these.BOOK BY JUDGE CRITICIZING AMERICA'S WAR ON DRUGS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1444/a01.html?397Luzerne County has a frightening rate of heroin overdose deaths. These casualties in our nation's failed war on drugs bear silent witness to the huge problem we are facing. On July 30, ABC presented a TV news special, "War on Drugs, War on Ourselves, with John Stossel." The program featured an interview with California Superior Court Judge James P. Gray, author of the book, "Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed And What We Can Do About It: A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs." The book is endorsed by people such as former CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite and former U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz. Judge Gray offers about 30 different things that can be done right away to help overcome the problem of drugs in our society. The book is currently available as an editor's pick at Barnes & Noble and for loan at local Cee-Kay Auto Stores. Judge Gray will be in Wilkes-Barre ( He is coming without fee during his vacation time ) in early October to deliver a series of lectures on the ideas presented in his book. His visit is being sponsored by the newly formed Citizens' Drug Policy Forum. We would recommend Judge Gray's book to all who are concerned about the problem of drugs in our community. Nancy, David, William and Ethan Frey Wilkes-Barre 
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Comment #7 posted by John Tyler on August 04, 2002 at 06:31:09 PT
DARE again
My daughter went to an elm. school that had a DARE program. She said it was a joke. The DARE cop was named Cohane so the kids called him Officer Cocaine. The black kids were afraid and distrustful as they had seen or heard of the cops arresting their parents, relatives, and friends. All in all it was a waste of time and money.
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Comment #6 posted by dddd on August 04, 2002 at 01:30:01 PT
...Hopeful Freeman...
..That was extra good....I'm glad you took the time to tell of your experience. ....I am 46 years old,,and I have imagined how strange it must be for younger people like yourself,,who have been subjected to the bizarre things that DARE,and other absurd drug war programs have poisoned an entire generation with......
 
 
....I hope you will remain hopeful,,because,,without hope,there are not too many other things left to choose from.
 
 
....keep on keepin' on..........Dont be shy.............dddd
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Comment #5 posted by Hopeful Freeman on August 04, 2002 at 00:51:50 PT
My Experience (for what it's worth)
I am a twenty year old male with much already observed, and I know I have a lot to learn. I have always been around DARE. I grew up with it. Unfortunatly my state wasn't polled.
.In the Sixth Grade I Graduated the D.A.R.E. program and was intructed very little by the police force. I have lived all over the state and I experienced the same DARE efforts around. 
.I was insructed by the police about once a week for maybe 6 months. He never stayed the entire day, however, he did tell us that illegal substances are very bad. He expressed prision time, ethics, and then he eventually told us that ratting on other people is best for them in the long run. He also included the fact that sometimes you can get paid to tell them, who has what and where they are. He went over the main drugs, like cocaine, acid, heroin, marijuana, exstacy, crack and meth. We learned how they are all evil and destructive to the human spirit, and American way of life. I allready didn't trust cops at that time of my life, then I told my mother that I wouldn't sign the paper that said I would abide by the DARE program rules or some crap to NEVER do drugs, and eventually I was forced to sign it or I wouldn't pass the sixth grade. Isn't that American... 
.Anyways, When I was fifteen I was at a Drive-in sitting in a car with an older computer buddy of myne. I had some marijuana and offerd me some, and I thanked him for the offer and denied the herb. I was then offered some Olympias. That I did take, just like my dad. It was my very first beer, and I only drank half of it. Meanwhile he toked up about 2 or 3 bowls of it under a blanket with the windows up. Before the 1st movie ended I went to the bathroom to empty my bladder. And my senses had changed, and it was fun. I do beleive the beer messed up my balance 
 but I was too afraid to try the marijuana or acknoledge its effects. I did however put the thought in my mind that it was fun because of the weed, due to the fact I had seen alcohol mainly because of the anger I saw it unleashed on those who had it. 
.Eventually I became more affraid of alcohol than weed. When I was in the 9th Grade filled with clinical depression without the help of LEGAL Drugs, I was offered some more weed when I was in class. I was offered it again by an aquantence, and I accepted it in the boys bathroom. I tried it again in a much safer place a couple of months after that thrilling, but scarry experience. Then I didn't have any until my junior year. I had found pipe in the desert, and then I got some weed. I found an even safer place to do it with a beautiful woman. Then one day I went to her house, smoked some weed at lunch, went back to school, and something incredible happened. I was no longer unsocial. Nomatter what perscription drugs i was on I never felt this open in talking to people. I turned into the social happy guy and I could have conversations with people that had just pissed me off before. There was so very little fear in me, no more anger. I was happy to be there and happy to feel so accepted. Then I realized what happened that day. I had become accepted by many and happier about my place in life, and most importantly I became open minded. 
.I started searching for truths. I found this. Marijana never killed anyone. The dangers that lie within' it are due to the fact that it is illegal. A harmless drug could get you sentenced to multiple years in a pound me in the crack prision, or it could get you hurt when tring to get it due to the fact its an illegal substance and when one is sold others and near. Other worse more dangerous drugs like crack, coke, acid, meth, and heroin. I also discovered how many legal mind altering substances really killed peoples lives, or just ruined them. 
.I became to love weed. I found a way to ease my depression, my strange and frequent pain, and love nature and peace. Then I looked deeper. In my searching I found a wonderful documentary to explain what happened to our Great Leaders "FREE AMERICA". I found the prision population to be the highest in the world, and the corruption to be as deep as it can get, then I found hope. 
.Hope within' America. Once the 1999 National Institute of Medicine published truth of Marijuanas way of it improving peoples overall sense of well being, nausia and pain(to name few), then I knew things would start to change. I found this wonderful Web Site, where I have seen so much good, and so much sadness and despair. But I have seen Great Changes.. Some European Countries have decriminalized all drugs, and the internet is spreading the word of hope throught our nation with Great potential. I can see America being strong and respected once again. The power of people will eventually prevail, but we must all be active voters and spread the truth to all who will listen. We must be cautious and strong. Soon we will Unite as one if we can be loud enough to have our mistakes corrected. Legalization is down the road, but not as far as some think. THE TRUTH SHALL SET US FREE! 
.
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Comment #4 posted by markjc on August 03, 2002 at 21:54:15 PT:
pugs
"If they can keep one child off drugs and out of jail, it's worth the expense of the city of L.A. It's much cheaper than incarcerating a child as they become adults."I agree kids shouldn't do drugs or be in jail. This statement begs for legalization.
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on August 03, 2002 at 21:12:31 PT
yes p4
Of course it all comes down to parenting - and American parents are doing a lousier job of raising their kids today than ever before. But nobody wants to see that headline in the paper - or hear it from the poor teachers that are stuck with their spoiled, punk kids. Self-righteousness is always the easy answer to difficult questions.This is the scariest part for me:"Bole said DARE is much more than persuading youngsters to avoid drugs; it is about helping them devise life skills."It helps build confidence in kids. It helps give them the skills they need to be able to face a situation when they are asked to do drugs," she said. "It teaches them how to deal with violence and anger."Understand something about the USA - if you can't afford private schools, you have two choices: send your kids to public schools, or go to jail. I don't have kids, but I would NOT want them to go to school to learn self-confidence, anger management, or how to deal with violence. I would want them to go to school to learn math, science, literature, etc.The whole educational system in the US is a JOKE. You go to school for 18 years of your life - at the end, you have absolutely zero real-world job skills. You must pay your own way through vocational school or college at that point. In order to rise above poverty, you must have a huge amount of money to pay for college. In Europe, by the time you're 19 you've been schooled in at least one specific career and you're ready to go into a productive job.And, of course, college is free, because the government has tons of money left over from the millions of people they AREN'T locking up for drug crimes. The government hasn't spent the last 80 years developing a permanent, violent, minority underclass.
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Comment #2 posted by p4me on August 03, 2002 at 19:14:53 PT
I don't know
The top three programs used by schools to keep students away from drugs/A. do not include the education of the parent and advance the idea of parenting as the best solution.B. are not integrated into health strategies and would require a discussion of foodstuffs that is unwanted by conglomerate food chains, the sugar water industry, and food producers frightful of discovery of the truth of genetic engineering and doping as in the case of Posilac with milk.C. are carryovers from the lies of the drug wars and are faulty of truth standards necessary to inform children of the real dangers of the many substances they chose to ingest.D. seek to inform the children that drugs belong in the realm of the criminal justice system and that the children should report all activities of drug trade and consumption because it is their highest service to their country and their fellow man.
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on August 03, 2002 at 18:56:18 PT:
Of COURSE Bole thinks it's effective...
simply because she can't bear the thought that her very reason for existence is purely artificial and wholly un-needed. Nor does she want to consider the possibility that she has been sucking off of the public's life blood in what amounts to socially sanctioned 'monkey-motion.Like the old Southern crackers who relied upon all manner of bogus studies (conducted by equally racist 'researchers') that 'proved' the 'inferiority' of minorities, the antis keep refusing to face the facts that their positions cannot hold any water. DARE doesn't work. Never did. Never could. Period. Any questions? 
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