Sorry, there is no real proof DARE works

Robert Smythe

I read the Independent’s “Mailbag” recently and was disappointed

at the unbalanced and biased portrayal of Huntington Beach’s funding

cuts for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. You printed one

article in favor of the cuts, and seven against them. Where is the

balance in reporting?

I was not surprised by the complete lack of data to support each

letter writer’s contention that DARE keeps kids off drugs. I would

like to believe what readers’ letters support, but unfortunately,

their conclusions are not validated by independent studies of the

DARE program’s results. DARE has no impact on kids’ choices about

drug use.

Most of the Independent’s readers would agree with me that drugs

are a scourge on society. Any life ruined by drugs is one life too

many. But the DARE program has been studied over and over using test

and control group techniques in communities across our nation, and

consistently it has been proven that DARE has no impact on kids’

choices about drugs.

The choices kids make about drug use are primarily influenced by

family and peer group. Drug use has fluctuated since DARE’s inception

in 1983. When drug use is down among our youth, DARE is quick to take

credit. Conversely, when drug use is up, does DARE take the blame?

Study after study has identified that the only appreciable impact

of DARE is as an expensive public relations tool for law enforcement.

It also serves to take highly trained and well-paid officers out of

crime fighting patrol and into classrooms.

Your readers’ letters are filled with touching anecdotal stories

about children’s excitement over a police officer visiting their

schools. Chances are, these children will not get caught up in drugs

due to effective parental supervision. But red ribbons and cute

school assemblies have been proven to have no lasting impact on kid’s

choices about drugs.

I believe in using our tax dollars for programs that demonstrate

results. Unfortunately DARE is not one of those programs.

* ROBERT SMYTHE is a resident of Huntington Beach. To contribute

to “Sounding Off” e-mail us at hbindy@latimes.com or fax us at (714)

965-7174.