stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

D.A.R.E. began in 1983 in the Los Angeles Unified School District as a cooperative effort between schools and police to help prevent drug abuse in children. Traditional drug abuse programs dwell on the harmful effects of drugs. The program emphasis on Project D.A.R.E. is to help students recognize and resist the many subtle pressures that influence them to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. In addition, program strategies are planned to focus on feelings relating to self-esteem, interpersonal and communication skills, decision making and positive alternatives to drug abuse behavior.

D.A.R.E.  is now in 80 percent of the nation's school districts and is being taught in 51 countries outside the United States....Thailand is the latest country to start D.A.R.E.  The Royal Thai Police are teaching D.A.R.E.  in 92 cities.

Mission: D.A.R.E.'s  primary mission is to provide children with the information and skills they need to live drug-and-violence-free lives. Additionally, it establishes positive relationships between students and law enforcement, teachers, parents, and other community leaders.

Who teaches

D.A.R.E.  is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teach children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug-and- violence-free lives. The 17-lesson D.A.R.E. core curriculum is taught by a specially trained, uniformed law enforcement officer which provides for a unique relationship between officer and student. This interaction promotes a positive role model identification as well as healthy bonding with a trusted adult. Prior to entering the D.A.R.E. program, officers undergo 80 hours of special training in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques, and communication skills. 40 hours of additional training are provided to experienced D.A.R.E. instructors to equip them to teach the high school curriculum.

What are the goals and objectives of

The primary goal of D.A.R.E. is to prevent substance abuse among school age children. The D.A.R.E. program targets children at an age when they are most receptive to drug prevention education and before they are likely to have experimented with tobacco, alcohol and drugs. D.A.R.E. seeks to prevent adolescent substance abuse, thus reducing the demand for drugs. The D.A.R.E.curriculum focuses on the following objectives for student learning.

Provides the skills of recognizing and resisting social pressures to experiment with tobacco, alcohol and drugs;
Helps enhance self esteem;
Teaches positive alternatives to substance abuse and other destructive behaviors (particularly gangs and violence); Develops skills in risk-assessment, decision making and conflict resolution; and
Builds interpersonal and communication skills.

Who receives

There are several components to the D.A.R.E. curriculum including the "core curriculum" for fifth or sixth grade; visitation for kindergarten - fourth grade; a middle school/junior high program; a senior high cirriculum; and a parenting component. More than 75 percent of America's school districts have adopted the program, and over 10,000 cooperative partnerships between law enforcement and education are in place across the country.

What are the benefits of 

D.A.R.E.  teaches kids how to be assertive and to deal with peer pressure by saying no effectively. Students learn about the dangers of drugs and gain self-confidence by acting out problem situations. They are taught to keep their bodies healthy, control their feelings when angry or under stress and decide whether to take a risk.

Please visit D.A.R.E. America's Home on the web,



for in depth information regarding all aspects of the D.A.R.E. program, for parents, kids and Instructors.