Ineffectiveness of DARE in Preventing Drug Use

The DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program was a drug education program aimed at school-aged children with the goal of preventing drug use and abuse. The program was introduced in the 1980s and was widely adopted in schools across the United States and internationally. However, over time, research showed that the program was not effective in reducing drug use and may have even backfired and worsened the problem.

Studies found that students who participated in DARE were no less likely to use drugs compared to those who did not participate. In some cases, the program was criticized for using scare tactics and providing inaccurate information about drugs, which may have led to a decrease in trust in anti-drug messages and authorities. As a result of these findings, the popularity of the DARE program has declined, and many schools have opted for more evidence-based drug education programs.