cannabisnews.com: Anti-Drug Class Fights To Survive





Anti-Drug Class Fights To Survive
Posted by FoM on January 29, 2002 at 09:11:37 PT
By Karen Bouffard, Special To The Detroit News
Source: Detroit News 
As experts debate the effectiveness of the Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) program, local officials are struggling to find money to expand the program beyond the fifth grade and into middle schools.  Police, city officials and school administrators have been unable to come up with the estimated $60,000 needed to offer the DARE program to students in the sixth , seventh and eighth grades. 
 State grant money used to set up Howell's DARE program is drying up, and the Howell Public Schools is tightening spending after the district failed to receive $2 million in additional funding from the state, said Richard Terres, associate superintendent.  Police Chief Roger Goralski asked Howell City Council members at their recent retreat if they would be willing to have the city pay for expanding the DARE program into the middle school.  The city leaders told Goralski no, saying they were reluctant to commit to a program with no serious prospects of finding a stable source of outside funding.  "The whole point of the DARE program is 'repeat it, repeat it, repeat it' -- and it's frustrating to get kids in the fifth grade to where they understand this, and then not be able to connect with them again until they are in high school," Howell Mayor Geraldine Moen said. "The middle school years are the most vulnerable years."  The expansive 17-lesson DARE program provides information about drugs, alcohol and tobacco use. It tries to give children the self-esteem and assertiveness training they need to avoid risky behavior.  Started in Los Angeles in 1983, the program is now used in more than half of U.S. school districts. The program is supported by many educators, law enforcement agencies and parents.  In recent years, the program has come under attack by critics who say its effectiveness is short-lived. Some researchers say the program encourages experimentation by providing information about drugs. Other critics say the program does not work.  Jeannine Pratt, president of the parent teacher organization at Howell High School and the mother of two high school students, disagrees with the critics. She supports expanding the DARE program into middle schools.  "I do think it should be extended onto at least the eighth grade," said Pratt, adding that her teen-agers, Derek Swackhamer, an 18-year old senior, and Jarod Swackhamer, a 16-year old junior, both benefited from attending DARE classes. She would like her first-grader, Cameron Pratt, 6, to have the DARE program available when he reaches middle school.  "The best thing you can do to keep kids away from drugs is to educate them. You have to keep the lines of communication open," she said.  Howell Police Officer Ken Taylor is the department's full-time DARE officer. He is assisted by two other officers assigned half-time to help Taylor present the DARE program to 600 Howell fifth-graders each year.  "In fifth grade, you have 10 and 11-year olds, and they are really gung-ho about DARE," Taylor said. "But they really need a follow-up program to reaffirm and support what they learn. Middle school is where kids are starting to find their niche in the world."  Howell Public School Supt. Chuck Breiner said the district is fully committed to the DARE program, but can't afford to expand it.  "If we had unlimited resources, we would have it at the middle-school level," Breiner said. "We feel really good about DARE. It's such and integrated part of our school culture that we would never consider eliminating the DARE program."   Note: DARE needs funds, supportRelated Article: Survey: DARE Failing StudentsThe effectiveness of the DARE program was recently questioned by a Howell High School senior who conducted a survey of fellow students.  T.J. Zawacki, a frequent contributor to the school's newspaper called the Main Four, surveyed 480 students, about 20 percent of the student body.  What Zawacki found disappointed him.  While more than 90 percent of the surveyed students went through the DARE program, 55 percent of them said they had experimented with drugs after completing DARE training. Of the students who had never participated in DARE, 50 percent said they had experimented with drugs.  Zawacki concluded that kids who want to experiment with drugs will do so, whether they participate in DARE or not.  "Basically, there are two types of people who have gone through DARE," Zawacki said. "They are either people who think everything should be experimented with, or they are kids who will listen ... and don't need to try it themselves."  Zawacki regularly volunteers to talk to fifth-graders in the DARE program, explaining to them how he has managed to stay away from drugs and alcohol.  "DARE is not the prominent reason students choose to remain drug free," Zawacki said. "The main reason for choosing to experiment or remain drug-free is whether or not they have a curiosity or a desire to experiment."  Nevertheless, Zawacki said he will continue to participate and support the DARE program because "it is a good program that offers helpful information." Sidebar: The DARE Controversy:    * The Drug Reform Coordination Network has created a Web site on the Internet devoted to re-examining the effectiveness of the Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) program. The site is at: http://www.drcnet.org  * DARE also maintains a Web site at: http://www.dare-america.com The site has a special child friendly area for students to access information about the program. Source: Detroit News (MI)Author: Karen Bouffard, Special To The Detroit NewsPublished: January 29, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Detroit News Contact: letters detnews.com Website: http://www.detnews.com/ CannabisNews Articles - DAREhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/DARE.shtml
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Comment #22 posted by i420 on January 29, 2002 at 14:51:04 PT
Have I got a deal for you...
While more than 90 percent of the surveyed students went through the DARE program, 55 percent of them said
   they had experimented with drugs after completing DARE training. Of the students who had never participated in
   DARE, 50 percent said they had experimented with drugs.    Zawacki concluded that kids who want to experiment with drugs will do so, whether they participate in DARE or
   not. 
So you are willin to spend $60,000 dollars for this FAILED attempt to coerce people into thinking your ignorance. I got some "drug-free" land in Florida I'd be willing to part with ...care to make me an offer??
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Comment #21 posted by Elfman_420 on January 29, 2002 at 11:36:51 PT
A funny DARE story!
I recently attended my first NORML meeting. I don't know how the group is setup, who is "President", etc., but there was a girl there who seemed to be very active. She wanted to talk about mostly about actively reaching out to the community and do things to educate people about the truth about cannabis. The funny thing was, she told a story about how in elementary school she won the DARE essay contest in her school and gave a speech, received a DARE bear, and was basically a poster-child for her school's DARE program for that year. "And now I'm an active member of NORML!" she said.Maybe DARE isn't so bad after all? (kidding)"Basically, there are two types of people who have gone through DARE," Zawacki said. "They are either people who think everything should be experimented with, or they are kids who will listen ... and don't need to try it themselves."I listened in DARE, and at the time I agreed with them. I was very much against any sort of illegal drug up until around junior year of high school. They had me brainwashed for a long time!
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on January 29, 2002 at 11:26:01 PT
p4me
You lost me? You didn't say anything wrong. I had to wait until it showed up on another paper and it did.
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Comment #19 posted by DdC on January 29, 2002 at 11:24:54 PT
Assassins of Youth
Assassins of Youth
http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/politics/media/36/36796.gifThe assassins of youth...DARE the FRCn PDFA
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=105.topicWho is really behind the Partnership For A Drug Free America
http://greenfield.fortunecity.com/swallowtail/204/partner1.htmDARE 2B Informed
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36235.gif
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Comment #18 posted by p4me on January 29, 2002 at 11:20:02 PT
What happenned?
What happenned to comments 5-15. Did I say something to offend an incumbent?
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on January 29, 2002 at 11:14:41 PT
GCW & EJ
The first couple I received I didn't think of saving them and I really haven't received many but now I think with more depth about things like this and have them saved. I thought I could make a page of them if I get more. It would not be on Cannabis News so it should be ok. Where there's a will, there's a way. Just have to put our thinking caps on.
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Comment #16 posted by The GCW on January 29, 2002 at 10:54:06 PT
Thanks, FoM
One thing I like about this place is that you do include the whole article when MAP sometimes only gives a snip, for legal reasons... I understand it I suppose, but I do like the whole story with out having to search further.This site and MAP makes it easy to protest. My efforts are greater, because of your help. Do what you can to continue.To everyones efforts, I Thank you, Example: from a link supplied here in a comment, I was able to send a letter to almost every newspaper in one state in less than 30 minutes.
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Comment #15 posted by E_Johnson on January 29, 2002 at 10:45:03 PT
Yes FoM and document it for later research
Most articles that the writers get mad about are the ones where they are not on our side and have many comments as to why they are off base. I've never received a please remove from a writer of a positive article. Interesting isn't it?Yea and well worth documenting for anyone who wants to do an expose on the damage to traditional journalistic ethics, standards and practices from the Drug War.I think we need to start complaining to journalism schools. Really. This is not how they are supposed to train people. This is not how I was trained when I was a student.I feel guilty now for having let myself rely on TV and not subscribing to the local papers any more. That's part of how we got into this sucky situation.
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Comment #14 posted by p4me on January 29, 2002 at 10:42:26 PT
More crap and wasted money
More crap. It is time to hurl on on this crap. NMC as in no more crap. Let us talk about the schedule one lie. In all of the drug war everything is overshadowed by the Schedule 1 Lie. Forget all programs or funding for any jail time or executions until you talk about the schedule one lie. SOLI am in a reflecting mood or I really would get off on this Bushit. The Bushit lie is that the puppet ot the rich said he was going to respect the states rights on MMJ. End the lieing you basdards.I was thinking about Tom and Rollie as I usually do when I eat two potatoes. French Fry Time on Cday. I always eat two potatoes- one for Tom and One for Rollie. It is not only time to stop imprisoning and fining and killing people for MJ, it is time to let some people out of prison.I was thinking of Secret of Rainbow Farms Movie. I, in my reflective mood, combine that article yesterday about the 28% THC with trying to arrest a single individual with a twenty-two rifle on a historic site of the underground network used in getting Southern slaves to Canada. The police have rifles and pistols that should pepper spray bullets and a dozen men could shoot a hundred pepper balls in a few seconds that could possibly be lethal and might be considered excessive use of force at a civil trail.Combine that with the movie disscusion with Rainbow Farms on Sunday and you come up with a scene for a movie that hints at Rainbow Farms. To wait for the Rainbow Farms movie will be some time away. That does not mean that a parity of it in a movie would have great meaning to someone like me that was unemployed and had the time to sit hear at Cannabis News and follow the story.I put the place at Macedino County in California when an Andy Griffith type sheriff uses some of that 28% MJ instead of pepper gas. Like when Andy has to arrest the the guy that later became Rafe Holister for his still. Only the cool Sheriff says "Rafe they are going to take your land and there is nothing me or the Governor can do about it." Then Andy takes out a pistol." Of course Rafe has been Blasted by Andy with his happy pellets before and kind of likes it. So Rafe says, "Come on Andy, you got a shoot me twice." So Andy shoots Rafe and Rafe begins to smile about losing his property and his son in foster care while he waits for someone to set him free.Today is Cday in Stockport and they are is a big deal with people from several countries saying FREE COLIN DAVIES and FREE THE WEED. There are people in this country that need their freedom back. There will be 36 Governors elected this November. Do not vote for any incumbent and raise the issue of having your voting device eliminate all incumbents by the push of a button. If I was elected dogcatcher I would vote against myself in the next election, so on the Vote against All Incumbents, I agree I am an extremist but somebody has to do it to balanace out the power of money that most always backs and incumbent. If there were a strong enough VAAI movement many Governors would not run and might actually restore freedom to the unjustly punished or excessively punished and get some people out of prison."I am going to have to vote against you Andy because you are an incumbent." 
"Now Rafe, you probably wouldn't be alive if I were not Sheriff"
"Andy you are a great guy and I know that Macedeno County will always think of you as Sheriff even in a Deputy Uniform. And if I know of anyone to be arrested I will request you."
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on January 29, 2002 at 10:31:40 PT
One More Thing GCW 
Before I remove them I save them. I believe that's ok.
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on January 29, 2002 at 10:27:49 PT
GCW 
A few problems with some. When I get a letter from a newspaper to remove an article I do and this is a web site that says no. They haven't emailed me but it should stay off limits for the time being. Most articles that the writers get mad about are the ones where they are not on our side and have many comments as to why they are off base. I've never received a please remove from a writer of a positive article. Interesting isn't it?
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Comment #11 posted by E_Johnson on January 29, 2002 at 10:21:44 PT
Pot beats Xanax for anxiety
I don't understand what people see in Xanax. But then again I don't understand what people see in Jack Daniels, nicotine or heroin either.Give her some marijuana cookies and she'll forget abbout Xanax and enjoy the feeling of feeling normal at last.And sleeping eight hours every night! And feeling refreshed when she wakes up!In the midst of my desire to gloat, I feel sorry for her. She's hooked on something that is just a bad medication to begin with.My shrink had me try Xanax before he wrote me a recommendastion for pot, and I have to say -- rotten stuff! TREMENDOUSLY MENTALLY IMPAIRING.How can working people work on that stuff?
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Comment #10 posted by E_Johnson on January 29, 2002 at 10:16:39 PT
Robbie you beat me
I should have known I wouldn't be the first to post this one!
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Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on January 29, 2002 at 10:15:33 PT
New Bush drug scandal
At the Baltiomore Sun site I was going to look for responses to the Gogeks and I found this on the front page:From Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Bush's daughter charged with prescription fraudBy John Kennedy 
Orlando Sentinel Tallahassee Bureau Chief 
Originally published January 29, 2002, 12:28 PM ESTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter was arrested early today on a charge of prescription fraud, police said.Noelle Bush. 24, is accused of trying to pass a forged prescription forXanax, an anti-anxiety medication, at a 24-hour Walgreens drug store in Tallahassee.Hey, maybe they'll find that extra money in the budget for treatment after all?
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on January 29, 2002 at 10:15:21 PT
why can't you post any articles 
about Noelle who is 24 years old? Are some news sources restricted? Am I missing something?
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Comment #7 posted by Dark Star on January 29, 2002 at 10:13:59 PT
Off Topic
We live in a crazy, dogmatic, and deluded society. Don't believe? Check this out:http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/01/28/life.statues.reut/index.htmlHow on Earth is our country going to break free of this petty and wasteful garbage. If Ashcroft is bothered by nudity, he can stand somewhere else. He is a great threat to true liberty in this country.BTW, the statue, is beautiful, and there is no shame that should be attached to the human figure.
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Comment #6 posted by Patrick on January 29, 2002 at 10:00:17 PT
FoM
CNN just covered the issue of Noelle Bush and her failed attempt at obtaining a false perscription.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 29, 2002 at 09:55:58 PT
Robbie 
Thanks for the heads up. Let's see if some newspapers do articles on this current drug scandal. It's time now. Can't post the article though. One of the no no ones. Linking in a comment section is fine!!! Where's there's a will there's a way! Yup!
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Comment #4 posted by markjc on January 29, 2002 at 09:45:36 PT:
oh to go back in time
i wish i could go back to elementary school when we were being exposed to DARE. I would give them a piece of my mind like no other. fuqin dare officers infiltrating our schools. 
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Comment #3 posted by Patrick on January 29, 2002 at 09:45:03 PT
Dr. Russo
I agree. In my opinion, the best way to prevent drug abuse is to provide the truth, and love your children.
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Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo MD on January 29, 2002 at 09:30:52 PT:
Reality
"The best thing you can do to keep kids away from drugs is to educate them. You have to keep the lines of communication open," she said. To do that, Ma'am, you need to tell kids the truth. DARE doesn't and will always fail. I suggest material by Marsha Rosenbloom of the Lindesmith Center as reasonable and helpful in this effort. Harm reduction in the key.
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Comment #1 posted by Robbie on January 29, 2002 at 09:30:43 PT
Another Bush daughter in drug trouble
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/01/29/jeb.bush.daughter.drugs/index.htmlJeb Bush's daughter was arrested for trying to obtain false prescriptions.
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