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Tony Zeli has been publisher and editor of The West End News since 2014. He has a background in media and community organizing. Contact him at thewestendnews@gmail.com.

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  1. Francisco Pegueros

    I would urge author Sam Pelletier and readers of West End News to acquaint themselves with the curriculums currently used by D.A.R.E.

    In 2008, D.A.R.E. America formed an alliance with The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) for adoption of the keepin’ it REAL (kiR) curriculum as the D.A.R.E. middle school program. The kiR program as developed by PSU and Arizona State University, with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, through rigorous longitudinal scientific evaluation, kiR has been established as an evidence-based program (http://legacy.nreppadmin.net/ViewIntervention.aspx?id=133). Among other positive outcomes, studies have evidenced students completing the kiR program demonstrate:
    • 32%-44% reduction in marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol use
    • 30%-38% increase in knowledge about and negative attitudes towards
    drug use
    • 29%-34% decrease in intent to accept offers to use substances

    I also refer readers to a Scientific American article The New D.A.R.E. Program—This One Works The “keepin’ it REAL” substance-abuse curriculum focuses on elementary and middle-school students’ decisions, not drugs (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-new-d-a-r-e-program-this-one-works/). The article presents relevant and accurate information about the D.A.R.E. kiR curricula.

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