Skip to content

DARE models a way to make good decisions

The DARE program is designed to teach and help kids make the right choices. DARE stands for: Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

The DARE program is designed to teach and help kids make the right choices. DARE stands for: Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Over the course of 18 weeks, I have learned that a good way to resist drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other potentially fatal and addictive substances is to follow the DARE decision-making model.

I believe that positive role models have a huge influence on kids who are trying to learn how to resist drugs, alcohol, tobacco, etc. A good example of a positive role model in my life is my big brother.

Recently, my older brother who is 16, earned his driver’s licence and is eager to drive. He received an invitation to a party, asked permission to go, then took my dad’s car and went to the party.

A couple of his good friends were drinking alcohol at the party but he knows he can’t because he is driving. His friends are persistent.

What should he do? Suddenly, he remembers his DARE program and thinks back to what it told him. He starts out with the DARE decision-making model:

• Define: his friends want him to drink but he needs to drive.

• Assess: should he or shouldn’t he? He can choose to give in to the peer pressure and drink or he can choose to say no.

• Respond: he chooses to say no.

• Evaluate: he made the right choice. If he had chosen to drink, he would get into trouble. He might get hurt or hurt someone else driving home and, most importantly, he is underage!

But, how should he tell his friends? He could use the cold shoulder (just walk away), he could use the skipping CD (repetitively say no), or my personal favourite — use humour!

Later, while he was on his way home, my brother ran into a police CheckStop. He was not worried because he made the right choices.

I am grateful to have such a great brother as a positive role model. I pledge to never take drugs and to always be aware of situations where I need to use my knowledge of DARE.

Adam Rowland

Ponoka