EDITOR,

Many people are dying from diseases caused by tobacco, alcohol and drug use. This is happening because of addiction. We are losing precious lives, because most of the time children and adults don’t know the possible effects of using these substances.

However, one program can teach us about what can happen if you take drugs. This program is called D.A.R.E., or Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

If this program could be taught to all elementary, middle and high school students, our community might not have to lose so many lives that drugs have stolen.

I learned in D.A.R.E. that drugs are addictive. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. Alcohol can cause you to become drunk, have a car accident and lose your job.

The nicotine in tobacco is very addicting. Smokers can get different kinds of cancer or hurt others with their secondhand smoke.

Drugs are addicting, and taking them might give you bad judgment and make you do things you wouldn’t normally do.

How many children will have to die before we do something to help them? Do we want to wait until they commit a crime and are sent to jail or until they have an accident and kill someone? All students should have the D.A.R.E. program to teach them how to avoid these things. Some adults are good role models for children, but not every child has a good role model he or she can talk to. The adults who teach D.A.R.E. are good role models who we can talk to and learn from.

D.A.R.E. can help us in other ways, too. Many children are secretly involved in dealing or using drugs. D.A.R.E. teaches us to say "no" to these activities, to have confidence in ourselves and to surround ourselves with supportive friends who also say no. We learned that we can talk to our parents if we feel pressured to become involved with drugs or gangs.

Because of the program, I learned that the lives of many children could be saved if everyone was able to have D.A.R.E. education. If children knew the consequences of smoking, alcohol and drug addiction, they might not ever use them. I will be able to make better choices in life and I will be able to grow up happy, healthy and drug free.

Thank you, D.A.R.E.