D.A.R.E. Students Five Times Less Likely to Start Smoking According to Newly Published Scientific Study
Findings
of a study recently published by the prestigious Journal of the National
Medical Association demonstrates that the D.A.R.E. curriculum is highly
effective in prevention of smoking among elementary school-aged children. Smoking is the single most preventable cause
of death.
Specifically, the study found that
students that completed the D.A.R.E. program were five times less likely to
start smoking compared to youngsters who did not participate in D.A.R.E. This evaluation of 5th and 6th
graders in Nashville, Tennessee was conducted by researchers at the Meharry
School of Medicine. Researchers further
found a direct correlation between knowledge regarding the risks of smoking and
increased rates of smoking avoidance.
The D.A.R.E. students had a significantly higher knowledge score
regarding the risk of smoking than the comparison group.
According
to D.A.R.E. America’s President Glenn Levant, “This study validates what
D.A.R.E instructors, D.A.R.E. graduates and their parents have known for
years—D.A.R.E. works!” Adding, “Through
D.A.R.E.’s comprehensive curriculum students are armed with the tools needed to
reject destructive behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and taking drugs. Dozens of studies, including this most
recent one of the current D.A.R.E. curriculum, confirm the effectiveness of our
efforts.”
“Impact of a Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (D.A.R.E.) Program in
Preventing the Initiation of
Cigarette Smoking in Fifth- and Sixth-Grade
Students” (J. Natl. Med. Assoc. 2002; 94: 249-256.)
Requests for reprints of this
article should be addressed to:
Nasar
U. Ahmed, PhD.
Clinical
Research Center, School of Medicine
Meharry
Medical College
1005
D.B. Todd Blvd.
Nashville,
TN 37208