The D.A.R.E. Program

[domotime2]

Since i am an aspiring eductaor of young individuals, I've recently student taught at a few classes that have hte DARE program. Seems like a rather reasonable program to have...a program that talks about the penalties and harm of alcohol and drug abuse, but the more I watch, the sillier and sillier I find the program to be.

So i did some research and i found that scientific research basically says one thing "THE EXPENSIVE DARE PROGRAM IS SHIT!". It's ineffective, and I can certainly see why. The Dare program fails to touch on the actual harm of drug and alchol abuse, and instead of giving a realistic answer about the realistic effects (pros and cons) they give a cartoonish fake answer that just says "drugs are bad" (thanks mr. mackey). kids will always rebel such things instead of saying listen...there are a lot of prominent people who drink, and smoke weed, and are perfectly happy, nice community leaders.

I don't know how I would neccesarily teach the class, but I was wondering if anyone has any alternatives?

Do you like the program? Do you see why it's there? do you think it's neccesary? Any alternatives? etc.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

I remember the DARE program back in the 90s at my school. A local police officer became sort of the official DARE spokesman for our schools. We got workbooks that taught about how dangerous drugs were but not exactly how they effect people. I've heard also that the program had backfired because it actually made kids who took the DARE program more likely to experience drug use as oppose to kids who didn't take the program. The problem being is that it introduced kids to the existence of these drugs and their curiosity was thus heightened.

[zion the lion]

I dont remember ever having the DARE at my school so I dont really know how it all works. Are you allowed to deviate from the lesson plan? I can see why the whole topic of drugs cartoonish though, depending on how old they are, any answer you give has a huge possibility of just taking you and the kid further down the rabbit hole. And when they get old enough to understand, there may be parents who dont want their kids "exposed" to that kind of topic, they think they live in Pleasantville and that their kids are never going to be in a situation where they are offered drugs or curious about them.

Just those two reasons make it hard to be honest with kids, but then again I have no clue what exactly they do in DARE.

[xapplexpiex]

My brother is in 6th grade now and was in the program last year. A cop taught the class. I have now idea what happened in the class because, well, I'm not in 5th grade. But I did hear that they're pulling the program because studies show that DARE actually educates kids on where to find drugs, how to use them, and what being high is. Yeah, they tell the negative aspects of them. Although, to kids, doing drugs sounds like a blast (I guess?)

[troubledbyinsects]

DARE is stupid.

[caveBEAR]

D.A.R.E. worked out great for BEAR.
;-)

[zion the lion]

I remember in 7th and 8th grade (middle school) there was a program like DARE and all the kids who joined it were already on drugs, it was kind of a joke.

DARE is stupid.

This has to be the biggest and most meaningful contribution anyone has ever given in a thread ever in the history of the internet.

[troubledbyinsects]

I remember in 7th and 8th grade (middle school) there was a program like DARE and all the kids who joined it were already on drugs, it was kind of a joke.



This has to be the biggest and most meaningful contribution anyone has ever given in a thread ever in the history of the internet.
Ask me how much i care zion. Ask me.

[sweepthenation]

I think it worked for me, sure it was simple but it hammered home the point. I mean I drank in high school, but I didn't start smoking marijuana until college, and I still refuse to touch harder drugs.

[BornUnderPunches]

I doubt that D.A.R.E. would ever be the convincing factor for someone who decides to not do drugs.

[poeticpower1223]

I've had to take the class three times, and it's really not effective. I learned how to slip people date rape drugs. I also learned a lot about Elvis, because the last officer that taught it was a big fan.

[Smash Adams]

I don't think there's any way for a 12 year old to go to an assembly and think anything other than "NO SCHOOL !!!!!!!!!!!"

[zion the lion]

Ask me how much i care zion. Ask me.

You obviously care enough to have replied to me.

[troubledbyinsects]

You obviously care enough to have replied to me.
ok.

[peder458]

I think it worked for me, sure it was simple but it hammered home the point. I mean I drank in high school, but I didn't start smoking marijuana until college, and I still refuse to touch harder drugs.

.....you make it sound like the program was designed to encourage kids to not to drugs, unless that drug is alcohol, or unless you are in college. Maybe I am wrong.

[esposimi]

-okF0lFY0Ig&hd=1

I sang this in 5th grade. And our school district cut it out of the budget, so it's now all done by the PTO.

[sweepthenation]

.....you make it sound like the program was designed to encourage kids to not to drugs, unless that drug is alcohol, or unless you are in college. Maybe I am wrong.

Worked better than it did for most of my friends/everyone else I know. I was the only one who refused to smoke until college, and drinking in 11th grade is later than most

[peder458]

Worked better than it did for most of my friends/everyone else I know. I was the only one who refused to smoke until college, and drinking in 11th grade is later than most

I guess my point was that you said it worked and then described reasons it didn't work. I can't tell by this statement if you are defending it or pointing out all the other people it didn't work for?

Also, I would venture to guess there were other reasons for your choice of (non-) behavior. A few studies also show a lack of an effect - this, of course, is across people. Maybe it did work for you. Your posts are just confusing, that's all.

[steve187]

Waste of time and useless. Smoked up right after one of them presentations in high school. Fun times.

[zion the lion]

Waste of time and useless. Smoked up right after one of them presentations in high school. Fun times.

Yes, because high school is the time when people start conditioning the mind to believe what you want them to believe.

[ellie117]

Since i am an aspiring eductaor of young individuals, I've recently student taught at a few classes that have hte DARE program. Seems like a rather reasonable program to have...a program that talks about the penalties and harm of alcohol and drug abuse, but the more I watch, the sillier and sillier I find the program to be.

So i did some research and i found that scientific research basically says one thing "THE EXPENSIVE DARE PROGRAM IS SHIT!". It's ineffective, and I can certainly see why. The Dare program fails to touch on the actual harm of drug and alchol abuse, and instead of giving a realistic answer about the realistic effects (pros and cons) they give a cartoonish fake answer that just says "drugs are bad" (thanks mr. mackey). kids will always rebel such things instead of saying listen...there are a lot of prominent people who drink, and smoke weed, and are perfectly happy, nice community leaders.

I don't know how I would neccesarily teach the class, but I was wondering if anyone has any alternatives?

Do you like the program? Do you see why it's there? do you think it's neccesary? Any alternatives? etc.

I was in it from 5th-6th grade, and a local cop taught it. I don't think it did anything for the kids in my class because by 6th or 7th grade, most of them were drinking/smoking cigs/pot anyway [our town is a very small town right outside Camden so it was very easy to get our hands on pretty much anything we wanted, and since there were only 40 or so kids in my class, if 10 people were doing it, nearly everyone else joined in too.]
I don't think it had any effect for the exact reasons you mentioned - Mr. Watson just explained how bad they were, and that they were illegal. They never showed pictures or real-life scenarios other than "We arrested a man last week for growing weed in his basement, he's in jail for years. You do not want to be this man." Then again, we were 12 years old, so you can't really be too brutally harsh. The program needs to be adjusted, but kids still need to be educated on the harmful effects of drug abuse so omitting the program completely is a terrible idea.

[Maiaophilia]

There was a time at my high school where it was cool for all the druggies to wear dare shirts.

I did the program in 5th grade. I remember thinking the whole thing was a load of bullshit. It was the same typical speal of no drugs. no booze. do not join a gang and don't have sex. I lived in a nice suburban area.... so the whole idea of hard drugs and gangs was kind of foreign to me.

But The officer who did it was actually pretty cool. He brought us police man trading cards and stuff. But He also mentioned that it's okay to experiment. I think that's kind of a whole key point, as long and it's not in excess... it's really not that bad. I feel that gets overlooked.

-- needless to say, I think if the program was angled slightly different way, it would be way more effective. I think it needs to be more real. Kids dont eat up that cartoon stuff anymore.

[saysmydoctor]

"Smoke more weed, Turtle. Smoke more weed." ~Ari Gold

[steve187]

Yes, because high school is the time when people start conditioning the mind to believe what you want them to believe.

We had them in grade school too. My statement still stands.

[ofBreathing]

I think for something like this to work, it would need to be thought to older kids. And it would need to be completely factual.

[only the clouds]

DARE isn't useful — as was stated above, it doesn't really educate on the effects of drugs. We had this guy come to my school when I was in 8th and 11th grade (Jeff Wolfsberg, anyone else have that guy come do presentations?) and he gave us a Powerpoint with all these horrible nasty pictures of meth mouth etc. But he also basically said "I know all of you drink, and I can't really stop you, and it's not going to kill you unless you become an alcoholic." And then he mainly talked about alcoholism. So I think that was a lot more effective than DARE.

[Simulcast]

Parents should really be the ones to educate children about the dangers of drugs.

[CastlesXClouds]

great point made my friend. i learned about 8 different ways to get high in dare. the consequences of such actions like drug or alcohol abuse were illustrated with cartoon characters, pretty laughable, i wish they would showed real life before and after photos of drug users and such. that would have made more of an impact on my life, all i really remember was a demonstration where the officer pulled a paper bag out and pretty much told us how to get high via paper bag and everyday items like glue, axe, paint.

[zion the lion]

We had them in grade school too. My statement still stands.

Not really, you said you smoked it up after a presentation in high school, if you were doing the same thing after presentations in first grade then you'd have a point and it really would have been a waste of time.


edit: nevermind, it doesnt matter.

[saysmydoctor]

We had them in grade school too. My statement still stands.
Consider who you are trying to reason with.

[domotime2]

I think the program should evolve into the current modern actual dangers in today's society. focus more on the ABUSE aspect of it rather than doing it once or twice, especially drugs. Also it shouldn't just be against drugs and alcohol.... in today's society a cop should really talk to the kids about "internet safety".

INTERNET SAFETY should = #1 priority to have cops teach kids these days. seriously, in terms of internet bullying, pedofiles, etc.

[deFobbed14yrs]

I remember we had the cousre, and i remembered we had a graduation for it and that the shirts they gave us weren't the cool black ones but these ugly tan ones and i was upset and at the graduation ceremony a girl read that email chain letter about drunk driving. you know the one that's in the first person of the girl that gets killed.
don't remember what they taught us though.

[zion the lion]

I think the program should evolve into the current modern actual dangers in today's society. focus more on the ABUSE aspect of it rather than doing it once or twice, especially drugs. Also it shouldn't just be against drugs and alcohol.... in today's society a cop should really talk to the kids about "internet safety".

INTERNET SAFETY should = #1 priority to have cops teach kids these days. seriously, in terms of internet bullying, pedofiles, etc.

It's kind of funny to talk about internet safety and bullying on this site.

I'd love for them to spend as much money and time talking about abuse, who to talk to, dealing with the guilt of telling another authority figure about it all, what someone should do if they find out their friend is being abused. It seems like its a bigger problem than drugs are or ever will be.

[honkyg88]

I remember there was a DARE Bear at our graduation, that was cool. I also bought a DARE shirt at a thrift store recently, that was also pretty cool. Don't remember much of the actual program because I was in the fifth grade.

[Neo Cassady]

My students went through DARE this year (I didn't teach it; we had an officer come in), and while it gave the kids some good info, some of it was way overblown while other stuff was glossed over. Way too much focus on marijuana and no talk of the other stuff that kids in the area I teach tend to have made available to them in high school (e.g., meth). And, like others have said, with the "big 3" that they talk about (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana) there's an overwhelming push to NEVER EVER try them, rather than teaching avoiding abuse and stressing moderation within legal age limits, the dangers of drunk driving, etc.

Just as with abstinence-only sex education, labeling something as off-limits is a surefire way to get kids to try it in a much more dangerous way than if they were properly educated.

tl;dr DARE needs to be updated for today's society and presented with regard to local prevalences.

[steve187]

Consider who you are trying to reason with.

I'd have better chances with a brick wall.

[Theseventhson]

Yeah DARE basically just taught me all the ways I could smoke weed and how easy it was to get weed.

[Battle Hymns]

I won the D.A.R.E. spirit award in 6th grade. Thank you Mr. Green's 6th grade class.

[Republicanman]

DARE is an ineffective tool in the failed Drug War, and simply another intrusion on behalf of the State teaching morality.

[saysmydoctor]

DARE is an ineffective tool in the failed Drug War, and simply another intrusion on behalf of the State teaching morality.
What textbook you steal this from?

[JuneJuly]

I don't remember anything about the DARE program other than at the end we all sang a song. I still have the folder from it. It didn't stop me from smoking weed or drinking. I understand moderation, however. But I'm not sure if that's because of DARE or not (probably not). I also know I would never ever touch hard drugs. I know that this idea wasn't from DARE, I think it's just common sense.

[sjb2k1]

did the whole DARE thing in 5th grade. i was pretty sheltered up until high school anyway because i went to a private catholic school...by my senior year of high school i flat out declined being a peer educator that went to the elementary school and talked about how drugs were bad mmkay. since i was smoking weed pretty much every day i felt it'd be somewhat hypocritical, lol.

[Paulie4star]

They cut D.A.R.E. at my school just before I would have taken the program. So I can't say anything about D.A.R.E. itself, but we did programs like it.

I was lucky enough to have a family full of drug addicts who have done nothing with their lives. So I know what they do to the average person. Perhaps my family can start traveling the country, then they can just show up at the school's assembly, stand there and have someone say, "Is this what you want to become? Well? Is it?" And end the assembly.

Would be more effective than any program they ever taught me in school.

[starsinhand]

I also have had DARE in 5th and 6th grade and this is problem I have with it:

DARE just tosses around the phrases "drugs are bad" and "don't do drugs" and my problem with that is that while drugs are bad the people that are teaching the program (mostly cops) are making it seem like if you smoke weed then you could die. The flaw with their logic is that the kids that try smoking weed find out that it is relatively harmless and feel lied to and then they think that they have been lied to about other drugs and go on to try them as well. I smoke weed and haven't gone on to other hardcore drugs but I do feel lied to because the picture they paint is a bad one and makes it seem like everybody that does drugs is a terrible person when the OP said that there are plenty of productive people who smoke and maybe do other drugs and go on to lead productive lives.

[.invisible ink.]

I never knew shit about nor thought about drugs until drug education courses in school (mine wasn't DARE because it was private school but it was extremely similar from what I have heard). The courses completely piqued my interest and didn't deter me one bit from trying and enjoying a plethora of drugs since then (yet never becoming a degenerate drug addicted loser in the process, hmm, go figure)!

Drug education is a joke and a waste of time and money, as is the "War on Drugs".

[Republicanman]

What textbook you steal this from?

If there were a textbook with that quote in there, I'd be proud to quote from it.

That being said, the statement is true. The entire history that the drug war (specifically against marijuana) was originally perpetrated against African-Americans (oh, but i thought the State was there to help?). From our founding, intellectuals like Alexander Hamilton, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were attempting to force prohibition on the common people.

I know this site has a liberal tilt, and the Patriot act (rightfully) is frowned upon around here. Yet how is it that we can condemn the state for interfering in our privacy on one hand, but support a program like D.A.R.E that is simply forcing a different type of belief through similar coercive means?

[deFobbed14yrs]

If there were a textbook with that quote in there, I'd be proud to quote from it.

That being said, the statement is true. The entire history that the drug war (specifically against marijuana) was originally perpetrated against African-Americans (oh, but i thought the State was there to help?). From our founding, intellectuals like Alexander Hamilton, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were attempting to force prohibition on the common people.

I know this site has a liberal tilt, and the Patriot act (rightfully) is frowned upon around here. Yet how is it that we can condemn the state for interfering in our privacy on one hand, but support a program like D.A.R.E that is simply forcing a different type of belief through similar coercive means?

I thought making marijuana illegal was to get rid of the Mexicans?

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

I thought making marijuana illegal was to get rid of the Mexicans?

It was

[SanePsychotic]

I never did DARE. We had Red Ribbon Week and all my school told us was that drugs were bad and not to do them. My parents were more the educators when it came to drugs: "Alcohol is okay though you should be careful with it because you might become an alcoholic like the rest of the family." "Weed is great, try it if you want." "I wouldn't recommend cocaine. It wasn't that great. " "NEVER DO ACID. OR METH. OR EAT TOO MUCH."

[kbomb001]

I grew up when D.A.R.E. was really popular, and, it wouldn't have kept me from using drugs if I had started. The main thing that kept me from using drugs was the way I was brought up and seeing my friends in high school become depressing individuals after using.

[saturday_snow_squall]

beep, dare was extremely ineffective, although i of course was brainwashed as a youngin'.

[Zeran]

i remember the d.a.r.e. program being mandatory and kind of lame at the time, but it did actually do a lot to inform me of what kind of drugs were out there and what they did to you. i never did something harder than weed and the d.a.r.e. program must take some credit for that, i guess.

[Zeran]

If there were a textbook with that quote in there, I'd be proud to quote from it.

That being said, the statement is true. The entire history that the drug war (specifically against marijuana) was originally perpetrated against African-Americans (oh, but i thought the State was there to help?). From our founding, intellectuals like Alexander Hamilton, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were attempting to force prohibition on the common people.

I know this site has a liberal tilt, and the Patriot act (rightfully) is frowned upon around here. Yet how is it that we can condemn the state for interfering in our privacy on one hand, but support a program like D.A.R.E that is simply forcing a different type of belief through similar coercive means?
how is it forcing a belief on someone? the d.a.r.e. program i experienced was just there to inform you and let you know the effects of doing certain drugs, which sounds a lot less vicious than the way you made it out to be.

[presdaddy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi4Ejs6h5ck&feature=related

probably worked great for him.

[Republicanman]

how is it forcing a belief on someone? the d.a.r.e. program i experienced was just there to inform you and let you know the effects of doing certain drugs, which sounds a lot less vicious than the way you made it out to be.

The D.A.R.E program foolishly omits information about the benefits of marijuana, and states that doctors who prescribe it are " either a bad doctor or a doctor who is not familiar with the scientific medical literature on marijuana.". They still teach that weed is a "gateway" drug, despite the fact that it's illegality is the only reason why purchasing marijuana could even lead to higher drugs.

D.A.R.E. omits to tell kids how the U.S. houses 23% of the world's inmates, a large percentage of that being non-violent drug related crimes. They neglect to discuss the billions of dollars wasted on arresting citizens for doing drugs in the privacy of their own homes.

Nevermind that the GAO stated that th D.A.R.E. program had "no statistically significant long-term effect on preventing youth illicit drug use." If we are to consider ourselves a "free society", parents and guardians should be the ones discussing these topics with their kids, if they believe it necessary to do so.

[Love As Arson]

Isn't D.A.R.E. an extension of "Just Say No", which was a farce in itself considering the Reagan administration's involvement in using drugs/drug money to support Latin American dictators?

[GuitarR0cker1]

I remember absolutley nothing about DARE except that the fat, bald cop who taught it looked exactly like Hank from Breaking Bad.

I think DARE is just in place because of inertia just like most drug policy which is a hold over from the 80s when zero tolerance law enforcement was all the rage via broken windows theory, not to mention the education system in this country is still under the influence of moralists. It's only a matter of time before both abstinence and DARE are phased out. No one credible actually thinks that DARE or our nation's current drug policy works.

[Love As Arson]

Also, having a cop present the case to a community that is largely targeted by the police and are viewed as a representation of a system that offers no viable economic alternative to selling drugs, nor an antidote to the tragedy, anxiety and insecurity in their lives, is a bit of an insult.

[anthonydarko]

Instead of DARE, why not show the children choice episodes of Intervention? You know, the really bad episodes where the girl is a alcoholic meth head stripper or the guy who's a homeless smack addict? That should get the point across.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Instead of DARE, why not show the children choice episodes of Intervention? You know, the really bad episodes where the girl is a alcoholic meth head stripper or the guy who's a homeless smack addict? That should get the point across.

as well as Requiem for a Dream

[Theseventhson]

Instead of DARE, why not show the children choice episodes of Intervention? You know, the really bad episodes where the girl is a alcoholic meth head stripper or the guy who's a homeless smack addict? That should get the point across.

We had some Philadelphia officers come in to my middle school and show us really graphic drug related pictures. That got the point across way better than D.A.R.E.

[GuitarR0cker1]

We had some Philadelphia officers come in to my middle school and show us really graphic drug related pictures. That got the point across way better than D.A.R.E.
In my health class last year they had a former methhead come to talk to my class. Shit was disturbing.

Other movies to prevent hard drug use: Trainspotting and Spun.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

In my health class last year they had a former methhead come to talk to my class. Shit was disturbing.

Other movies to prevent hard drug use: Trainspotting and Spun.

When I first saw Trainspotting, I felt like I was going through heroin withdrawal after seeing that baby crawling on the ceiling.

[Zeran]

The D.A.R.E program foolishly omits information about the benefits of marijuana, and states that doctors who prescribe it are " either a bad doctor or a doctor who is not familiar with the scientific medical literature on marijuana.". They still teach that weed is a "gateway" drug, despite the fact that it's illegality is the only reason why purchasing marijuana could even lead to higher drugs.

D.A.R.E. omits to tell kids how the U.S. houses 23% of the world's inmates, a large percentage of that being non-violent drug related crimes. They neglect to discuss the billions of dollars wasted on arresting citizens for doing drugs in the privacy of their own homes.

Nevermind that the GAO stated that th D.A.R.E. program had "no statistically significant long-term effect on preventing youth illicit drug use." If we are to consider ourselves a "free society", parents and guardians should be the ones discussing these topics with their kids, if they believe it necessary to do so.

i don't remember ever being told that kind of information about doctors, though you are right in that they don't explain the benefits of marijuana. i would argue that your criticisms about drug and crime have a better place in a civics or poli sci class or something rather than d.a.r.e., whose premise is pretty straightforward. i also don't agree with you saying that its illegality is the only reason it could lead to harder drugs. i'm sure that's part of it, but not entirely true. i also don't mind the government or whoever providing information about the adverse effects of drugs; they're not taking the place of parents.

[Zeran]

as well as Requiem for a Dream
best anti-drug there is.

[anthonydarko]

as well as Requiem for a Dream
Agreed.
We had some Philadelphia officers come in to my middle school and show us really graphic drug related pictures. That got the point across way better than D.A.R.E.
Like Faces of Meth?

[Theseventhson]

Like Faces of Meth?

Sort of, but also a lot of people who OD'd and a guy who ripped the flesh off of his arm looking for a vain to shoot up in.

[zion the lion]

Instead of DARE, why not show the children choice episodes of Intervention? You know, the really bad episodes where the girl is a alcoholic meth head stripper or the guy who's a homeless smack addict? That should get the point across.

People who do drugs dont think they're going to be so hopelessly addicted that they'll sell their bodies or end up homeless. how many times have you watched Intervention, Requiem for a Dream, or Trainspotting and went on to do drugs a little bit later?

[anthonydarko]

Sort of, but also a lot of people who OD'd and a guy who ripped the flesh off of his arm looking for a vain to shoot up in.
Yikes, pretty freaky shit to show a group of young teenagers.

[Matt Chylak]

DARE was pretty ineffective at my elementary school, except as a way to tell which kids did drugs in high school (they all still wore their DARE shirts)

[Republicanman]

i don't remember ever being told that kind of information about doctors, though you are right in that they don't explain the benefits of marijuana. i would argue that your criticisms about drug and crime have a better place in a civics or poli sci class or something rather than d.a.r.e., whose premise is pretty straightforward. i also don't agree with you saying that its illegality is the only reason it could lead to harder drugs. i'm sure that's part of it, but not entirely true. i also don't mind the government or whoever providing information about the adverse effects of drugs; they're not taking the place of parents.

The information about the doctors is posted on their website.

The point, however, is that by the time students are in those political science classes, they've been brow-beaten for nearly a decade with one-sided information.

Let's assume that marijuana was legal and sold in regular stores. How exactly would it lead to harder drugs?

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

The information about the doctors is posted on their website.

The point, however, is that by the time students are in those political science classes, they've been brow-beaten for nearly a decade with one-sided information.

Let's assume that marijuana was legal and sold in regular stores. How exactly would it lead to harder drugs?

This kid I went to school with started experimenting with drugs at an early age. First, it began with sneaking around his parent's liquor cabinet in 9th grade. By the next year, he was smoking pot after school. Things escalated from there. Near the end of senior year, he tried doing acid by dropping it on his eyeball. He was hospitalized and spent a year at a psychiatric hospital. I ran into him a few years ago working at a gas station. He didn't look too good but hopefully he's now sober.

[Republicanman]

Bringing up a sob story with infinite variables prove nothing. It didn't have anything to do with the premise of marijuana being legal.

Millions of people in this country drink and smoke responsibly. Despite D.A.R.E.'s acronym, they are not discussing abuse of these drugs, but rather discouraging use of them at all.

[Scrandon]

I think marijuana could be considered a gateway drug because people are told their whole life that it's horrible, destructive, dangerous, etc. and then when they do it and realize it's not that bad, maybe they would expect the same from other drugs.

There's nothing unique to marijuana that could make it a gateway drug (chemically or something) other than people's perceptions of it.

[kwsqd]

"Smoke more weed, Turtle. Smoke more weed." ~Ari Gold
Smart move E, you're going to need all your facilities.

[Zeran]

Let's assume that marijuana was legal and sold in regular stores. How exactly would it lead to harder drugs?

it being legal or illegal may affect certain people, but it doesn't make it 100% certain that if it were legal it would no longer be a gateway drug.

[SincerelyMe]

I had dare in 5th grade. Didn't do much for me. For some reason I remember our program focusing more on cigarettes than drugs.

[Republicanman]

it being legal or illegal may affect certain people, but it doesn't make it 100% certain that if it were legal it would no longer be a gateway drug.

It would be as much a gateway drug as alcohol is a gateway drug.

[ilikesound93]

DARE taught me that all drugs would ruin your life, and all drug are equally harmful.

[AdamJL]

it being legal or illegal may affect certain people, but it doesn't make it 100% certain that if it were legal it would no longer be a gateway drug.

The gateway drug theory has been disproven by scientists so I'm really sick of hearing this argument.

As far as DARE, yeah it's stupid and pointless. They group all drugs together and if a group of people is stupid enough to be grouping weed and heroin together than it's automatically not going to be very effective. At least they're one step above those above the influence commercials though. You know, those commercials that are funded by the alcohol companies because they don't want weed to be legalized because it would be competition.

[Zeran]

It would be as much a gateway drug as alcohol is a gateway drug.
not necessarily.

[caveBEAR]

Xanax and Valium were my gateway drugs to weed, oddly enough. I like to work in reverse.

[Kozzy333]

We didn't do DARE but teachers taught us about drugs and what not. Elementary was all the bullshit but grade nine gym our teacher was very honest and pretty much told us that it's no a big deal to try smoking, drinking, pot and even shrooms. He just told us that making a habit out of anything is not a good thing.

[Republicanman]

not necessarily.

Any reasonable supplements to back that up?

[Zeran]

Any reasonable supplements to back that up?
anecdotal evidence, mostly. all i'm saying is, it's not as black and white an issue as you seem to believe.

[Republicanman]

One needs only to look at Portugal and the Netherlands to see how legalization has led to falling drug rates. The violence and terror we've seen in Mexico is exclusively related to drug prohibition of the United States.

[AdamJL]

I'm sorry but this whole argument of it not becoming a gateway drug if it was made legal makes no sense since, as I said, the gateway theory has been completely disproved. It's NOT a gateway drug and credible scientists don't use it anymore.

[mike'smannequin]

It would be better If we had dare in like 7th grade rather than second. I dont do any kind of drugs or drink but I think if we had dare in 7th,8th and 9th it would have helped a lot of my former friends. I also think dare kind of beats around the bush. They should actually tell students what actually could go wrong

[Republicanman]

It would be better If we had dare in like 7th grade rather than second. I dont do any kind of drugs or drink but I think if we had dare in 7th,8th and 9th it would have helped a lot of my former friends. I also think dare kind of beats around the bush. They should actually tell students what actually could go wrong

Don't you think that if a child is running around with the wrong kids, having an aggressive officer of the State tell you not to do something is going to encourage those kids to do it more?

As far as D.A.R.E beating around the bush, just go to their website. They're definitely blunt, though incorrect.

[PTVsnewO]

Don't you think that if a child is running around with the wrong kids, having an aggressive officer of the State tell you not to do something is going to encourage those kids to do it more?.

absolutely not

[Republicanman]

Have you ever been a teenager? That's essentially what they do.

But hey, don't ask me, ask the GAO and their abysmal findings of the D.A.R.E. program.

[J.C.]

Never did DARE. Never did drugz.

[maxvsmaradona]

DARE is making me drink my cocktail right now. Cheers!

[caveBEAR]

Never did DARE. Never did drugz.

Did DARE. Do drugs.

Go figure.

[bandnamexmyname]

Never had to take this.

[oldwirehands]

I think it might work on some kids/people, and that is sad. DARE was a joke, and I had to go through it twice, because I transfered to a private school; they started the program in 6th grade, and public schools started in 5th. It was double the bs.

[blackhawk1231]

my dare instuctor was an alcoholic and he told us.

[lauren1234]

I remember this program from elementary school. They told us ecstasy was bad, they lied. But really, I think its a decent program. It must work because I still remember most of what we where told even though I decided to go against what they said.

[lovely864md]

I think the biggest issue with programs like this is that they go so far with to hyperbole - for example the whole "marijuana has so much more THC now than in the 70's" thing they always say, which is basically bullshit, that when kids find out that stuff is exaggerated or not true, they just discount the whole thing.

When I have kids I'm just going to be super honest with them. They're going to know that yeah, drinking is sometimes kind of fun, but sometimes you throw up all over yourself and make really bad decisions. Lying to kids about stuff like this just gets them into the trouble you're trying to prevent in the first place.

I don't know if any of that makes sense, I'm really sick and writing this in a feverish daze hahahaha. But you get the point.