D.A.R.E., Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

We all remember this, being around 12 years old and having a police officer show up to class to tell us various ways "drugs" can ruin lives. Things such as "Marijuana will get you hooked after one puff", "mushrooms are much like acid and they both will make you see cartoon characters" (how this one is perceived as negative I will never know) and "smoking a single cigarette will make you want to do heroin"


We had to watch feel good videos like the one shown above, which featured many of our cartoon favorites reminding us how bad it is to smoke weed. (Even though earlier the police officer said this is a common effect of drugs like acid and mushrooms). And then make us write an essay about how drugs are bad.

But flash forward to adulthood, how many of us have never smoked a cigarette, had a beer, or tried another recreational substance? Very few. So did D.A.R.E. work? Was it a good use of tax dollars to have a police officer come in and talk to us about "drugs"? The answer to these questions is no.



At the end of the day, D.A.R.E. really means Drugs Are Really Expensive, or Drugs Are Recreational Enjoyment, your choice.