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National D.A.R.E. Day

D.A.R.E is “Drug Abuse Resistance Education”, and aims to steer kids away from drugs through community engagement and education, typically at schools.

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Position your organization as a community partner in youth drug prevention by sponsoring or amplifying D.A.R.E. Day awareness and educational initiatives in schools.

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Behind-the-scenes look at how D.A.R.E. officers engage students with hands-on education and K-9 demonstrations
Parent guide: talking to your kids about drugs, peer pressure, and substance identification
Community spotlight: schools launching or expanding D.A.R.E. programs to reach the 24% without coverage
How employers and local businesses can support youth drug prevention in their neighborhoods

History

Many now-adult Americans will remember the special and particularly snazzy car that would arrive at the school, often times with a K-9 unit in tow, and a variety of items to do a show and tell with!

Started in 1983, this program’s moniker, D.A.R.E., means ‘Drug Abuse Resistance Education’, and that is the core of this day’s experience. The education that takes place includes how to identify students that are high risk, and how to identify the secret language of the drug underground.

In 1986, the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act supported D.A.R.E. programs, providing crucial funding.

President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National D.A.R.E. Day in 1988, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to fighting drug abuse. This annual observance celebrated the program’s efforts to promote healthy, drug-free lifestyles among youth.

Over the years, the D.A.R.E. curriculum evolved, incorporating new strategies to remain effective. Initially, the program focused on drugs like tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana but later expanded to include broader topics like internet safety and bullying.

Since its inception, National D.A.R.E. has taken on a number of different iterations, with celebrations occurring both in September and April, allowing for schools to adjust their schedules and curriculum to better meet the needs of the students.

How to celebrate

Talk to Your Kids About Drugs

This is a great day to sit down and talk with your kids about drug use, and what the inherent dangers are in using them. You can talk to them about how to deal with peer pressure, areas to avoid, how to say no, and how to identify drugs if they come across them. All of these can be very useful in the high pressure filled environment of the public school system combined with youth. One of the great ways to celebrate this day is to help organize a method of educating the parents and kids in the school how to identify where there might be a drug problem.

Help Prevent Drug Use

Taking the lessons of the education offered by law enforcement, you can help put some of them into action. It takes an entire community working together to keep the terrible scourge that is the narcotics underground from taking hold in your neighborhood. Once these are identified you can help facilitate the drug prevention programs in your community.

Connect with Community

D.A.R.E. day is a great day for a reconnection with your kids and community, helping to prevent the introduction of drugs into their lives. This program has moved beyond the initial intent of covering just narcotics and street drugs. Education has since been expanded to cover tobacco smoking, inhalants from things like whippets, and how to handle peer pressure in their social network.

Start a D.A.R.E. Program

In this year, if you’re part of the 24% of schools in the United States that doesn’t have a D.A.R.E. program implemented, you can use this day to try to help organize a visit from your law enforcement agents to help present the dangers of drugs to the community. There’s nothing more important than keeping your kids safe from the dangers in the world, and implementing a D.A.R.E. program in your community is one fantastic and time proven method of helping them. National D.A.R.E. Day Timeline1904 Early School Anti-Drug Lessons Progressive Era reformers began promoting school-based temperance and anti-drug lessons, as educators and physicians warned about youth exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and patent medicines. 1971 War on Drugs and Prevention Focus President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse “public enemy number one,” leading to new federal agencies and greater emphasis on prevention and school education alongside law enforcement. 1983 Launch of D.A.R.E. in Los Angeles The Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Unified School District created Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) as a police officer–led classroom program for elementary students. [1]1986 Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Congress passes the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, providing federal grants for school drug-prevention programs, which helps D.A.R.E. and similar curricula spread nationwide. [1]1994 Major Evaluation Finds Limited Impact A federally funded, multi-year evaluation led by the Research Triangle Institute reports that the core D.A.R.E. curriculum has little long-term effect on preventing youth drug use, fueling debate about its effectiveness. [1]2001 Surgeon General Questions Effectiveness The U.S. Surgeon General’s report on youth violence notes that traditional D.A.R.E. is “ineffective” as a primary drug-prevention strategy, pushing the program toward evidence-based revisions. [1]2009 Adoption of the Keepin’ it REAL Curriculum D.A.R.E. America begins rolling out the evidence-based “keepin’ it REAL” curriculum, shifting from scare-focused messaging to social–emotional skills, decision-making, and resistance strategies shown to reduce substance use. [1]

Early School Anti-Drug Lessons

Progressive Era reformers began promoting school-based temperance and anti-drug lessons, as educators and physicians warned about youth exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and patent medicines.

War on Drugs and Prevention Focus

President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse “public enemy number one,” leading to new federal agencies and greater emphasis on prevention and school education alongside law enforcement.

Launch of D.A.R.E. in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Unified School District created Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) as a police officer–led classroom program for elementary students. [1]

Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act

Congress passes the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, providing federal grants for school drug-prevention programs, which helps D.A.R.E. and similar curricula spread nationwide. [1]

Major Evaluation Finds Limited Impact

A federally funded, multi-year evaluation led by the Research Triangle Institute reports that the core D.A.R.E. curriculum has little long-term effect on preventing youth drug use, fueling debate about its effectiveness. [1]

Surgeon General Questions Effectiveness

The U.S. Surgeon General’s report on youth violence notes that traditional D.A.R.E. is “ineffective” as a primary drug-prevention strategy, pushing the program toward evidence-based revisions. [1]

Adoption of the Keepin’ it REAL Curriculum

D.A.R.E. America begins rolling out the evidence-based “keepin’ it REAL” curriculum, shifting from scare-focused messaging to social–emotional skills, decision-making, and resistance strategies shown to reduce substance use. [1]

FAQ

How effective are school-based drug prevention programs like D.A.R.E. in reducing youth substance use?

Research on traditional lecture-based drug prevention has shown mixed results, with some early versions of programs like D.A.R.E. having little long-term impact on drug use. In response, many curricula were redesigned to be more interactive, focus on decision-making and social skills, and be evaluated rigorously. Modern evidence-based school programs tend to work best when they combine factual information with skill-building, involve multiple sessions over time, and are delivered with fidelity by well-trained instructors. Even then, effects are usually modest rather than dramatic, which is why experts recommend combining school programs with broader community, family, and policy efforts.

What strategies help parents talk effectively with children about drugs and peer pressure?

Experts recommend starting conversations early, keeping them age-appropriate, and making them ongoing instead of a single “drug talk.” Helpful approaches include asking open-ended questions, listening without overreacting, clearly stating family rules and expectations, and explaining the real health and legal consequences of substance use. Role-playing how to handle peer pressure and helping children practice ways to say no can build confidence. Parents who model healthy coping skills, stay engaged in their children’s activities, and know their children’s friends and social environments provide additional protection against substance use.

How does peer pressure actually influence a young person’s risk of using drugs?

Peer influence affects substance use both directly and indirectly. Directly, friends may offer substances, encourage experimentation, or normalize drug use in conversation or on social media. Indirectly, young people may change their attitudes or behavior to fit in with what they believe their peers are doing, even when their assumptions are inaccurate. Prevention research shows that helping youth challenge these “everyone is doing it” beliefs, build refusal and negotiation skills, and feel connected to prosocial peer groups can significantly reduce the likelihood of initiating drug or alcohol use.

Why do prevention programs now address topics like bullying, stress, and decision-making in addition to drugs?

Modern prevention science recognizes that substance use is often linked to broader social and emotional challenges, such as bullying, anxiety, trauma, and difficulty managing conflict or strong emotions. Programs that teach skills like problem-solving, emotional regulation, empathy, and assertive communication can reduce several risky behaviors at once, not just drug use. By strengthening protective factors such as school connectedness and social competence, comprehensive curricula aim to help young people navigate many pressures they face, including but not limited to offers of drugs or alcohol.

Do scare tactics or graphic stories work in preventing teens from using drugs?

Public health research generally finds that fear-based messages alone are not very effective and can sometimes backfire, especially with adolescents who are sensitive to perceived exaggeration or hypocrisy. Programs that rely mainly on shocking images or extreme stories may temporarily get attention, but they often fail to change behavior if they do not also build concrete skills, correct misconceptions, and offer positive alternatives. Approaches that are honest about risks, acknowledge real-world pressures, and respect young people’s ability to make choices tend to be more credible and effective.

What role do police officers or external specialists play in school-based drug education today?

In some communities, law enforcement officers or outside specialists still help deliver prevention lessons, but practice has shifted toward closer collaboration with educators, counselors, and health professionals. When officers are involved, many programs now train them in classroom management, adolescent development, and interactive teaching methods rather than simple lecturing. Research suggests that the quality of the relationship they build with students, their understanding of youth culture, and their ability to facilitate discussion matter more than their badge alone. Increasingly, schools also rely on school counselors, nurses, and prevention specialists to ensure the content aligns with broader mental health and wellness goals.

How can communities tell if a youth drug prevention program is truly evidence-based?

A program is considered evidence-based when it has been rigorously evaluated, typically through well-designed studies that compare participants with a similar group that did not receive the program, and shows reliable positive outcomes such as delayed initiation of use or reduced frequency of use. Communities can look for programs listed in national registries, review published research, and check whether the curriculum provides implementation guides and training to maintain quality. Experts also emphasize that even strong programs can fail if they are not implemented as designed, so monitoring fidelity and outcomes locally is an important part of selecting and sustaining any prevention effort.