Speaking of using unjustified teaching methods, Jacob Sullum takes on some more folks who do just that.

A study in the latest issue of the journal Health Education Research concludes that many schools use ?heavily marketed curricula that have not been evaluated, have been evaluated inadequately or have been shown to be ineffective in reducing substance abuse.? The lead researcher, Denise Hallfors of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, does not mince words in her evaluation of DARE. ?There?s no scientific rationale whatsoever for maintaining DARE in the schools,? she says.

Basically, every time the curriculum is shown to be ineffective, or even counterproductive, the DARE folks come out with a new one, claiming "This time for sure!"

Why do we continue to allow our children to be used as guinea pigs by well-meaning nincompoops?

If anything everything that DARE told us back in school made me want to do drugs even more =D

Jacob Sullum and Reason magazine have long reported and I recall that one of their points was exactly what Hefty decsribes above. That it not only does not discourage but sometimes encourages drug use. Some of their articles are real old but perhaps a search of Reason's archives and a search for D.A.R.E will provide further insight.

Some school districts are wising up and dumping DARE. A local KC example is that of Olathe (a suburb on the KS side), as conservative a community as can be imagined. Maybe the drug warriors really are in trouble. We can hope.