D.A.R.E. Program
The acronym D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is a nation wide curriculum taught in elementary, middle school and high school by certified police officers. The D.A.R.E. program has key elements to successful prevention teaching such as:
- Helps students recognize internal pressures, like anxiety and stress, and external pressures, like peer attitudes and advertising.
- Develops personal, social and refusal skills to resist these pressures.
- Teaches that using drugs, alcohol and tobacco are not normal among teenagers, even if students say that "everyone is doing it."
- Provides developmentally appropriate material and activities about the consequences of drugs.
- Uses interactive teaching techniques.
- Actively involves the family and community.
D.A.R.E. is part of an overall comprehensive effort, and is consistent with the best approach to reduce drugs and violence among our youth.