DARE is an anti-drug program and means drugs, abuse, resistance, education. It was first designed in 1983. This program is offered to fifth grade primary school students aged ten to eleven. This program aims to educate children about alcohol and drug abuse. The continuing question is: Are children at that age old enough to retain this important information and carry it forward, into high school, when this knowledge is critical to apply? The DARE program offers great information, but it also costs a significant amount of money. money to run the program each year. The children receiving this anti-drug information are at a young age and do not understand how serious drugs are and how they can impair a person's judgment. At age 10, children may gain basic knowledge about drugs and alcohol upon completion of this program, but by the time they reach high school, they will not be able to apply what they have learned from the DARE program. GIVING can also have a negative result and counteract the effects of the program. As the program teaches children about drug/alcohol abuse and the kind of effects it has on a person. In the program, police officers show children different types of drugs and also explain to them how they are used. This is not a positive learning outcome for children of this age as they are very curious. Just show kids what medications are and how to take them. After teens go through the program, some are curious and try these illegal substances to physically feel what kind of effects they have on them. Teens also have difficulty resisting temptation, as they see and hear about how different types of drugs and alcohol have affected their peers. Teens often try to be the center of attention... the center of the paper... the DARE program, if drug abuse is still a problem? The program has a positive impact on children and adolescents, but substance abuse rates are not decreasing as expected. This program needs to make changes to how it is taught or society needs to stop funding the program and put that money to better use. Works cited American Cancer Society. (2012). Marijuana. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternative medicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/marijuanaClayton, R.R., A.M. Cattarello, and B.M. Johnstone. “The Effectiveness of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (Dare Project): 5-Year Follow-Up Results.” Preventive medicine. 25.3 (1996). Press.Health Canada. "Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Tracking Survey". July 3, 2012 < http://hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/drugs-drogues/stat/_2011/summary-sommaire-eng.php>.