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D.A.R.E. Students Five Times Less Likely to Start Smoking
Dare.com ^

Posted on 08/20/2002 10:59:16 AM PDT by JediGirl

Findings of a study recently published by the prestigious Journal of the National Medical Association demonstrates that the D.A.R.E. curriculum is highly effective in prevention of smoking among elementary school-aged children. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death.

Specifically, the study found that students that completed the D.A.R.E. program were five times less likely to start smoking compared to youngsters who did not participate in D.A.R.E. This evaluation of 5th and 6th graders in Nashville, Tennessee was conducted by researchers at the Meharry School of Medicine. Researchers further found a direct correlation between knowledge regarding the risks of smoking and increased rates of smoking avoidance. The D.A.R.E. students had a significantly higher knowledge score regarding the risk of smoking than the comparison group.

According to D.A.R.E. America’s President Glenn Levant, “This study validates what D.A.R.E instructors, D.A.R.E. graduates and their parents have known for years—D.A.R.E. works!” Adding, “Through D.A.R.E.’s comprehensive curriculum students are armed with the tools needed to reject destructive behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and taking drugs. Dozens of studies, including this most recent one of the current D.A.R.E. curriculum, confirm the effectiveness of our efforts.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: dare; drugs; wod; wodlist
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How many 5th and 6th graders start using drugs/smoking in 5th and 6th grade to begin with?

And how long does that last? I mean, do 10th graders say "Hey, my DARE officer said drugs are bad!" and not do them? How effective is DARE in the years that really count -- those lovely teenage years?

The "Just Say 'No'" approach isn't working. Kids aren't idiots. The bull they hear in DARE that all drugs (cept alcohol when you're old enough) are evil becomes a joke when kids try drugs and have a great experience with them.

1 posted on 08/20/2002 10:59:16 AM PDT by JediGirl
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To: WindMinstrel; Wolfie; philman_36; Dakmar; vin-one; EBUCK
bong!
2 posted on 08/20/2002 11:00:11 AM PDT by JediGirl
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To: JediGirl
these DARE freaks are getting desperate. Research proved that they were counterproductive on drug education, so now they're effective against smoking? Feh.
3 posted on 08/20/2002 11:01:51 AM PDT by WindMinstrel
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To: WindMinstrel
these DARE freaks are getting desperate.

And they see their cushy government jobs going down the toilet, so the publish this BS. The sad thing is this will be quoted by the liberal media as a 'success' story.

4 posted on 08/20/2002 11:04:19 AM PDT by Pern
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To: JediGirl
D.A.R.E. just keeps moving the goalposts. Studies show that it has no effect on drug use in the teen years. And is cigarette smoking what they're all about anyway? News to me. Could the crackdown on tobacco sales to minors have anything to do with it? Might as well say that most 12 year olds who go to D.A.R.E classes don't drive.
5 posted on 08/20/2002 11:04:55 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: WindMinstrel
I don't understand the distinction. Anti-smoking education is drug education.

I'd like to know, though, how they controlled for factors such as smoking in the home, whether or not communities that have DARE are more likely to have parents of higher economic status that discourage smoking though other means, etc.

6 posted on 08/20/2002 11:06:21 AM PDT by RonF
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To: JediGirl
DARE has to hang its' hat on something...I daresay that most teens that get busted for possession these days are DARE grads.
7 posted on 08/20/2002 11:08:16 AM PDT by gundog
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To: RonF
I think we can file this under "DARE takes credit for the free market effects of the 'we do not sell tobbacco to minors' campaign". Every local corner store in my town cards me even at 30.

EBUCK

8 posted on 08/20/2002 11:09:41 AM PDT by EBUCK
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To: JediGirl
FWIW the kids around here call it the Drugs Are Really Excellent classes.
9 posted on 08/20/2002 11:10:46 AM PDT by fone
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To: Wolfie
Could the crackdown on tobacco sales to minors have anything to do with it?

Copenhagen was $.39 when I began experimenting with tobacco, and buying it at 13 wasn't a problem; it's about $4.00 now. Maybe this a success story about the benefits of exorbitant taxation. :)

10 posted on 08/20/2002 11:12:15 AM PDT by gundog
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To: RonF
don't get me wrong, I agree that nicotine is a drug. Why else do people smoke? It's certainly not for the taste, no matter what the advertisers say.

What frosts my tenders is that DARE is attempting to take credit for the myriad of other societal factors that are reducing underage smoking. What's worse, they're doing it only because they're under fire for their piss-poor performance in keeping kids off hard drugs.
11 posted on 08/20/2002 11:12:21 AM PDT by WindMinstrel
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To: JediGirl
A man with no vices often exhibits very few virtues.
12 posted on 08/20/2002 11:12:34 AM PDT by Lance Romance
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To: gundog
Copenhagen was $.39 when I began experimenting with tobacco.

Hope you didn't forget to include a control group ;^)

13 posted on 08/20/2002 11:16:08 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: JediGirl
JG is very busy today,, thanks for the bong.

DARE= Drugs are really expensive
DARE = Drugs are really excellent
DARE = Drugs are really exciting
14 posted on 08/20/2002 11:19:50 AM PDT by vin-one
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To: JediGirl
LOL - It's an altogether blantantly obvious way for those pushing WOD and DARE to show that it's working, but, as you so eloquently pointed out, finding 5th and 6th grade smokers is probably tough. Most people start or experiment with smoking around the 14-16 year range.

Kids smoke out of rebellion. Most adults smoke because they're addicted, but in the end, it all about individual choice. It is the singlemost controlable factor involved with health and well being.

ps. Get me on that ping-list girl!

15 posted on 08/20/2002 11:19:59 AM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: *Wod_list
bong to the list
16 posted on 08/20/2002 11:21:12 AM PDT by vin-one
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To: gundog
39 cents?!? You've got to be kidding. I pay 3.65 a can now. But I do remember when it was under 2 bucks
17 posted on 08/20/2002 11:21:50 AM PDT by billbears
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To: JediGirl
BARBRA STREISAND
18 posted on 08/20/2002 11:22:29 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: JediGirl
From the report PREVENTING CRIME: WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T, WHAT'S PROMISING

D.A.R.E. Evaluations show that as it is most commonly implemented, D.A.R.E. does not reduce substance use appreciably.

19 posted on 08/20/2002 11:23:17 AM PDT by jae471
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To: billbears
Nope. And cigarettes were at about $.65 when I started smoking them(legally, at 19) but rising about a nickel a week, as I recall. Ah, the good old days...Reagan was President and Clinton was still Bill Who?
20 posted on 08/20/2002 11:27:45 AM PDT by gundog
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