Policy Speech on Drug Abuse Essay

Some of you may remember backbone in 5th grade the D.A.R.E song. You k presently the song about staying away from medicates and do your own choices. Come on It had little dance moves that went along with the words. well(p) if you dont remember, heres an example of the Chapman Elementary school day in capital of Ireland Ohio singing at their D.A.R.E graduation. (play video) Who went through a plan like this in their elementary school? According to the Ocean Shore Police, today D.A.R.E. is existence taught in all 50 states, in to a greater extent than 300,000 classrooms. until now, this broadcast is non as onusive as it was originally sought out to be. medicate abuse is a tremendous problem that must be intercommunicate by the community in order to aid in future taproom. Today I give be talking to you about the D.A.R.E weapons platform now and how it is slowly losing its popularity, my proposal on how to change it and how this impart positively effect the younger gener ations.D.A.R.E, standing for Drug Abuse Resistance information Program, was tacked in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police De mappingment and scourtually spread crossways the country. act is a base, or universal prevention architectural plan. It targets children and youth in the first place or around the age of experimentation, usually 5th graders. Today, the program reaches more than 26 million children every year in the United States. The non-profit program uses trained law enforcement officers to give instruction students about drug and alcohol granting immunity and prevention, and making good life choices. The hour-long classes typically run 10 to 17 weeks, depending on the school. The D.A.R.E. program en up to(p)s students to interact with police officers or sheriffs in a safe and controlled classroom environment. This helps students and officers meet and understand each other in a friendly manner.Since it was founded, D.A.R.E. has expanded to encompass programs for snappe r and high school students, conflict resolution, gang prevention, p bent education, and after-school recreation and learning. The course of study has withal been revised over the years as a result of look findings and is now more interactive by promoting participation by students. D.A.R.E. has alsoestablished a Scientific Advisory Board to aid in self- evaluation and recommend program changes. Kathi Ackerman, theatre director of Minnesota DARE said, Its curriculum has been revamped at least 10 times since its creation. Still, many regularises have had to recognize the program because it was too expensive and the outcome did not meet their standards. Julie Olson, director of elementary education said that the Rosemount-Apple Valley district had to drop DARE due to their $15 million budget shortfall.The district used the program for two decades all the same it was cut from 18 elementary schools, saving the district $50,000 annually. Although the program has said it involves mi ddle and high school students, research found that 80% of primary school students had experienced some D.A.R.E. education, but scarcely 20% of middle school students and 10% of high school students were subject to any follow-up drug use prevention. This is unrivaled of the great weaknesses inwardly the program. Without a follow up lesson, kids tend to forget what they learned or simply think it does not apply to them anymore. Regardless of the positives DARE teaches, beingness exposed to these lessons in only one grade is not sufficiency for it to become a way of life.If we ask the question, does DARE help subscribe healthy attitudes about drug use, make up knowledge and awareness of addiction, and increase skills important for youth to have, then the answer is without a doubt yes. However is this enough for our children? Their lives are at stake and if we do not overtake results, then we are not effectively doing our job. What the critics fail to recognize, is that no angi otensin converting enzyme program groundwork be expected to have a long-lasting effect by itself. Namely, no one component in prevention is adapted in and of itself to reduce the prevalence of drug use. For this reason, I picture an updated version of the DARE program. A version that will run throughout middle and high school, involve the parents, schools teachers, faculty and staff. This new program will continue on with all that is already in the DARE program however, it will also include knob speakers, region trips and hands on activities.Volunteer guest speakers will range from previously abusive drug and alcohol users, modern abusers and families of those that have lost a loved one to the disease of addiction. The lack of break and in your face types of actions are what the current DARE program is missing. This may be due to the fact that its primary agegroup for students is in the elementary school level. Kids in middle and high school need to see these types of people for it to actually effect them. I know that every teenager thinks they are invincible and that they crapper do anything. They have the mindset, That could never be me. I did, but male child did I get a news flash when I went on a field trip with my criminal justice class to the capital of the Bahamas Jail.A few of the inmates volunteered to tell their stories. There was this one beautiful little girl sitting in the corner and I honestly thought she was part of staff, until she stood up and told her story about drug addiction. She happened to live in my town. How insane is that? That definitely hit home to many of the students in my class. This is the type of shock value we need to express to our children for them to understand the actual reality that ones actions can lead to.We can throw all of these stories onto a child or teenager, yet it cannot stop in that location. Parents who play a vital role in a childs life, have to impose their influence on decision making to lead to wards healthy choices. Within the program there will be parent and teacher seminars which will explain what the children are learning, the ways they are being taught and ways the adults can reenforce the lessons. The seminars for adults will also include the same guest speakers and opportunities to take the same field trips that the children go on.Finally these seminars will include how to detect signs of addiction, ways to sufficiently help your child and contact information for specialized therapists, rehabilitation centers and nameless support groups. Some may see this as to be a bit heavy and too much for their children ages 10-18 to go through however this is the harsh reality. We need to take action and take action nowDrug abuse is still a popular fad amongst teenagers even with prevention programs like DARE. Obviously, we as a community are not effectively doing our jobs. With a revised version of DARE, students, parents and teachers will be able to work together to prevent this fad from reoccurring. Having hands on activities, guest speakers, field trips and adult seminars will create a more sufficient program to lead children towards a healthy future. Now think back to the DARE song that Chapman Elementary School performed. Can we only teach our children a cute song or can we actually perpetrate a messagethat will stick?