DARE is an acronym used to refer to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. This anti-drug education program was launched in 1983 through a collaboration with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program put uniformed police officers in classrooms across the nation to tell elementary school students to “just say no” to drugs.

The Original D.A.R.E Curriculum

The original D.A.R.E. curriculum consisted of 17 lecture-based lessons delivered to public school students by law enforcement officers. These police officers were referred to as DARE officers in schools.

Drug Education in the Classroom

The DARE program was highly structured, with a primarily prescribed curriculum. In the classroom, a D.A.R.E. officer would follow a pre-designed curriculum that emphasized building students’ self-esteem, helping them resist peer pressure, and developing decision-making skills. Although well-intended, the program may have been doomed from the start due to a lack of research during the development phase of the curriculum.

DARE’s Original Mission

The original DARE curriculum was developed by educators and law enforcement officers and was primarily based on drug facts. The mission was to inform students about the dangers and negative consequences of drug use, thinking this would prevent them from experimenting with substances in the future. Unfortunately, the theories on which the program was built were just that–theories. They weren’t based on scientific data or research, a mistake that would ultimately lead to the program’s demise.

The Rise and Fall of DARE

The DARE program was considered successful by many. It became widely popular amongst teachers and parents and was championed by many locally and nationally respected public figures. Unfortunately, it largely failed to deliver on its mission of ending drug use amongst youth and may have even had a negative impact.

History of the DARE Initiative

The original DARE program was born in Los Angeles, California, and quickly spread to schools nationwide. Although it began as a grade-school program, the DARE program soon expanded to include middle school and high school curricula. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan embraced the program as part of her “Just Say No” campaign. At its peak during America’s War on Drugs, DARE was used in more than three-quarters of schools across the United States and even some international countries. [1]

The Eventual Failure of DARE

Although DARE was wildly popular in the 1980s and 1990s, its long-term effects were lackluster, if not outright disappointing. The program was criticized for being lecture-based and for promoting abstinence-only instead of harm reduction. Early studies showed that instead of deterring drug abuse, it actually encouraged it in some cases by increasing curiosity about drugs.[2]

Critics of the program, many of them former DARE students, pointed out that much of the information provided during DARE lessons was misleading. Many students came to believe, through observation and experience, that the information provided in the DARE curriculum was false. This may have undermined the credibility of the program.

The first nationwide study on the effects of DARE, administered by the Department of Justice, found that the initiative only slightly reduced tobacco use but had no effect on alcohol or marijuana use. [3] Years later, a report on the program’s ineffectiveness revealed 30 subsequent reports, all of which showed no substantial impact.

DARE Revamped: Keepin’ It Real

DARE is not entirely finished, despite its public failures. In 2009, the non-profit organization D.A.R.E. America fully implemented a revamped program called Keepin’ It REAL, which is still used in schools today. The REAL acronym in the program’s name stands for “Refuse, Explain, Avoid, Leave”. In this new program, D.A.R.E. lessons focus on being responsible and making good choices. Unlike its predecessor, it’s not an anti-drug program, though its overall mission is to reduce substance abuse.

Interactive Lessons, Not Lengthy Lectures

Another difference between Keepin’ It REAL and the original DARE program is its interactivity. Instead of speaking for the entire lesson, the instructor now only uses eight minutes of the class to speak to the students, and the remaining time is spent on interactive activities such as role-playing.

Proof the New DARE Works

Studies evaluating the effectiveness of Keepin’ It REAL have shown promising results, especially compared with the former program. A large-scale study showed that the program reduced substance use at a rate 72% higher than the control group. [4]

The Secret of the New DARE Program

The new D.A.R.E. program’s effectiveness has been largely attributed to the fact that it’s based on prevention science, not merely on the good intentions and ideas of educators and police officers. Lesson learned.

The Science Behind Prevention

The new DARE program has been successful in large part due to its research-backed methods for preventing drug use. Experts suggest that the best drug use prevention for teens may involve awareness of the risk factors as well as the use of preventative measures. [5]

Risk Factors for Adolescent Substance Abuse

The original DARE program was based on the idea that ignorance of the negative effects of drugs combined with peer pressure was the biggest risk factor for substance use among young people. This was a grave misconception. The actual risk factors for adolescent substance misuse include:

• Mental health conditions or concerns
• Family history of substance misuse
• Low grades in school
• A feeling of disconnectedness from school
• Parental neglect or lack of supervision
• Parental attitudes towards drug and alcohol use
• Childhood sexual abuse
• Substance use in their peer group
• Parental rejection of gender identity or sexual orientation

Research-Backed Preventative Methods

The original DARE curriculum relied on information and fear tactics to keep kids from engaging in drug use. This method backfired, though, because it wasn’t based on scientific research. Here’s what science says are the actual protective factors that deter kids from experimenting with risky behaviors, including substance use:

• Family engagement
• Parental supervision
• School connectedness
• Parental disapproval of substance use
• Support from parents and family

Lessons from DARE

The original DARE program could be considered a huge waste of resources, including millions of dollars in public funding. There may still be a lesson to take away from the debacle, though.

If the failure of the original DARE program taught us anything, it’s the need to follow the science when it comes to drug use prevention among young people. Even well-intentioned methods of keeping kids away from drugs can backfire. Parents, teachers, and communities should be aware of the known risk factors for substance abuse and tried-and-true methods of preventing drug abuse in teens and young adults.