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Why D.A.R.E. - The Most Comprehensive

Drug Prevention Curricula in the World

D.A.R.E. Education the effectiveness of prevention programs Scientific American
Programs and policies.” keepin’ it REAL curriculum
is among a number of programs the Sur- In its September 10, 2014 issue, Scien-
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education geon General identifies as building social, tific American published an article enti-
(D.A.R.E.) program is the most com- emotional, cognitive, and substance refusal tled, The New D.A.R.E. Program – this
prehensive drug prevention curricula in skills that provide children accurate infor- one works. The article notes that Rich-
the world taught in thousands of schools mation on rates and amounts of peer sub- ard Clayton, Ph.D., a retired prevention
throughout America’s 50 states and its ter- stance use. researcher formerly of the University of
ritories, as well as in 50+ other countries Kentucky, was also once an outspoken
reaching more than 1.5 million students The President’s 2017 Commission on critic of D.A.R.E., has since been invited
annually. Combating Drug Addiction and the to join D.A.R.E.’s board of directors and
Opioid Crisis chair its Scientific Advisory Committee.
D.A.R.E. Education Program
Endorsements & Support This Presidential Commission’s recently Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly
released report states…Substance abuse
D.A.R.E.’s elementary, middle and high prevention is a process which requires a In August 2017, Alcoholism & Drug Abuse
school curricula, as well as its enhance- shift in behavior, culture, and community Weekly published a comprehensive article
ment lessons on subjects that include bul- norms…When evidence-based programs on the significant changes in D.A.R.E. cur-
lying, internet safety, and over-the-counter are selected for specific populations and ricula over the past decade. Among the in-
prescription drug and opiates abuse, have implemented with fidelity, they can be ef- formation presented in the article are the
been developed through partnerships with fective… School programs implementing following: “Randomized controlled trials
highly respected universities and preven- environmental approaches targeting chil- of the new curriculum, called “keepin’ it
tion education experts. Each curriculum dren focus on building a repertoire of pos- REAL,” have shown that in 14 months,
has been developed and approved under the itive competencies, including in the areas drug use was reduced in students who re-
guidance of D.A.R.E. America’s Scientific of academics, self-regulation, and social ceived the D.A.R.E. curriculum compared
Advisory Committee chaired by Richard skills. The Commission’s report identi- to peers who didn’t.”
Clayton, Ph.D. fies keepin’ it REAL as one such interven- What keepin’ it REAL
After a review that considered multiple tion programs. Evaluations Conclude
criteria, D.A.R.E. America partnered with California Healthy Kids Resource
Pennsylvania State University to develop Center Drs. Michael Hecht and Michelle Mill-
and adopt the keepin’ it REAL drug pre- er-Day have authored several of the stud-
vention curriculum. In 2008, D.A.R.E. The California Healthy Kids Resource ies that demonstrated keepin’ it REAL’s
launched keepin’ it REAL in middle Center, a division of the California Depart- effectiveness. The largest one, published
schools; in 2013, D.A.R.E. launched kiR’s ments of Health and Education, profession- by Hecht, Miller-Day, and their colleagues
elementary school curricula. al Research & Evaluation staff ensure op- in 2003, asked 6,000 students to fill out
timal services for families and children by questionnaires about their use of alcohol,
Multiple government organizations and in- providing internal and external stakehold- tobacco and marijuana at several points
stitutions, as well as highly respected jour- ers with useful tools and information that over a two-year period. The reports from
nals, have endorsed and favorably reported can be used for program evaluation, fore- students who completed keepin’ it REAL
upon D.A.R.E.’s keepin’ it REAL curricula. casting and strategic planning, contract indicated that:

Surgeon General Report compliance, and advocacy. The Center • They had used these substances less than
lists keepin’ it REAL as “research validat-
The Surgeon General’s 2016 landmark re- ed”…its equivalent of an evidence-based those in a control group, and used a wider
port entitled, Facing Addiction in America: ranking. variety of strategies to refrain from using
The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.
Drugs, and Health, concluded that alcohol United Nations • Their anti-drug attitudes were also more
and drug misuse, disorders, and addiction, D.A.R.E. is the only international drug likely to stick over time. A subset of that
are among America’s most pressing public prevention curricula to hold consultative study, comprised of 1,300 students who
health concerns. As the Surgeon General’s status with the Committee on Non-Govern- were already using drugs, showed a much
report states, “The good news is that there ment Organizations of the United Nations larger percentage reduced their use of
is strong scientific evidence supporting Economic and Social Council. drugs than did those in the control group.

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