First of all, thinking back, I remember the DARE program being a total failure in our middle school. It was funny when the police officer would ask questions about the different drugs and the students correctly answering them (and being congradulated for their knowledge) were the biggest drug users in the school.
The messages that their movies showed were debuffed by the students that were using drugs at the time. As for the curious students, they tried drugs anyway (and suprisingly, most of them were part of the DARE team).
Unfortunately, I can't think of a universal solution to this problem but I can share a personal experience that touched home for me. Sometime when I was about 10 (a age where lasting impressions are easily made), I was introduced to one of my cousins. As far as I knew, the guy had been an honor student in college and had mixed alcohol and drugs and messed up his brain. He was now around thirty, and socially incompetant. He could barely walk or even say his own name. After 30 seconds of conversation my reaction would be to get away and avoid this person. I must have seen this person and heard his story at least ten times and the image stuck. At that age I made the decision to avoid drugs at all costs. As for alcohol, my parents had an open policy on alcohol since I was 5 and I had time to safely test my limits. And for smoking, I constantly heard stories of family members that died at 30-40 from smoking.
What was important was that drug safety was taught at home by using REAL examples. I had friends who also told me the truth on what drugs were good and bad so I could easily get evidence against the DARE program. Constanlty being exposed to and reminded of real people with drug problems that were that close to home made a lasting impression. Having my parents as a trustworthy source as well (one went to NYU, his quote: "you got high walking through the dorms") beat any sad attempt made by the DARE program.
Basically, any program that believes that it can come to teens of 14-16, lie to them about drugs and magically change their views despite contradictions from friends is bound to fail.
On my recent trip to Israel I found some interesting facts. In Israel approx 90% of the population ownes some sort of gun or conceiled weapon, but the gun crime rate to population is one of the lowest in the world. I'm not just talking about one portion of the population but Arab, Palenstinian and Jewish citizens alike.
Just a few days ago I was hit hard by someone who quoted "why if everyone in Israel had guns, the'd be killing each other like in America!" Think about it, most of the rioters from the news are attacking with stones when probably most of them own some sort of weapon. Some of the reasons behind their actions are pretty resonable. The gun licence laws in Israel are pretty strict. Background checks are required and licencing has to be renewed every few years. If someone's gun is lost or stolen, they have to suffer criminal charges for it. Gun education is extrememly high in Israel (besides the fact that many citizens are requred to serve in the army). Also if anyone dared to pull out a gun in the streets, they would be as good as dead since either the soldiers or many of the citizens with conceiled arms would open fire. The last time a child was killed from toying with a gun was a few years ago. The main killers in Israel are terrorists and most of the deaths are sensationalized by the US press. This is a side note before most of the recent conflicts.
I've been raised in a family where gun education was a standard. I was shooting Rifle and Shotgun at targets around 12. My father discussed the power of the guns and kept them safely stored away in one section of our garage where I could of easily gotten them. I never though once of using a gun to kill anyone. To me, a gun is another tool like a kitchen knife or a lighter, to be used for pratical purposes and respected. Again, this type of education starts at home. Anyone who only thinks of death and killing masacres when they think of guns is speaking out of a fear and ignorance of something they don't understand.
As for Doom like games, I've been fragging my friends for years, and enjoying it. It's not like I'm going to go out, grab a gun and start killing people.
Overall, this is just a issue to avoid the other problems facing the country, such as poor education in inner city schools.
Just my two cents (and first post)
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First of all, thinking back, I remember the DARE program being a total failure in our middle school. It was funny when the police officer would ask questions about the different drugs and the students correctly answering them (and being congradulated for their knowledge) were the biggest drug users in the school.
The messages that their movies showed were debuffed by the students that were using drugs at the time. As for the curious students, they tried drugs anyway (and suprisingly, most of them were part of the DARE team).
Unfortunately, I can't think of a universal solution to this problem but I can share a personal experience that touched home for me. Sometime when I was about 10 (a age where lasting impressions are easily made), I was introduced to one of my cousins. As far as I knew, the guy had been an honor student in college and had mixed alcohol and drugs and messed up his brain. He was now around thirty, and socially incompetant. He could barely walk or even say his own name. After 30 seconds of conversation my reaction would be to get away and avoid this person. I must have seen this person and heard his story at least ten times and the image stuck. At that age I made the decision to avoid drugs at all costs. As for alcohol, my parents had an open policy on alcohol since I was 5 and I had time to safely test my limits. And for smoking, I constantly heard stories of family members that died at 30-40 from smoking.
What was important was that drug safety was taught at home by using REAL examples. I had friends who also told me the truth on what drugs were good and bad so I could easily get evidence against the DARE program. Constanlty being exposed to and reminded of real people with drug problems that were that close to home made a lasting impression. Having my parents as a trustworthy source as well (one went to NYU, his quote: "you got high walking through the dorms") beat any sad attempt made by the DARE program.
Basically, any program that believes that it can come to teens of 14-16, lie to them about drugs and magically change their views despite contradictions from friends is bound to fail.
-Just my two YIP's....On my recent trip to Israel I found some interesting facts. In Israel approx 90% of the population ownes some sort of gun or conceiled weapon, but the gun crime rate to population is one of the lowest in the world. I'm not just talking about one portion of the population but Arab, Palenstinian and Jewish citizens alike. Just a few days ago I was hit hard by someone who quoted "why if everyone in Israel had guns, the'd be killing each other like in America!" Think about it, most of the rioters from the news are attacking with stones when probably most of them own some sort of weapon. Some of the reasons behind their actions are pretty resonable. The gun licence laws in Israel are pretty strict. Background checks are required and licencing has to be renewed every few years. If someone's gun is lost or stolen, they have to suffer criminal charges for it. Gun education is extrememly high in Israel (besides the fact that many citizens are requred to serve in the army). Also if anyone dared to pull out a gun in the streets, they would be as good as dead since either the soldiers or many of the citizens with conceiled arms would open fire. The last time a child was killed from toying with a gun was a few years ago. The main killers in Israel are terrorists and most of the deaths are sensationalized by the US press. This is a side note before most of the recent conflicts. I've been raised in a family where gun education was a standard. I was shooting Rifle and Shotgun at targets around 12. My father discussed the power of the guns and kept them safely stored away in one section of our garage where I could of easily gotten them. I never though once of using a gun to kill anyone. To me, a gun is another tool like a kitchen knife or a lighter, to be used for pratical purposes and respected. Again, this type of education starts at home. Anyone who only thinks of death and killing masacres when they think of guns is speaking out of a fear and ignorance of something they don't understand. As for Doom like games, I've been fragging my friends for years, and enjoying it. It's not like I'm going to go out, grab a gun and start killing people. Overall, this is just a issue to avoid the other problems facing the country, such as poor education in inner city schools. Just my two cents (and first post)