Dare Essay

 

          You should never drink alcohol and chew tobacco because every four minutes a child is arrested for drug use. By the end of eighth grade, 52% of students have tasted alcohol, 41% have smoked cigarettes at least once, and 20% have tried marijuana. Through the D.A.R.E. program, I learned about the causes and effects of alcohol and tobacco, and ways to be a good citizen. That is why the D.A.R.E program is so important for young people today. D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Through the D.A.R.E program we are being taught to make good decisions, avoid violence, and most importantly, be drug free.

Alcohol can be very dangerous to children and even adults. There are over 75,000 alcohol related deaths each year in the U.S., including children. Mixing alcohol and medicine is very dangerous. Alcohol slows down the brain and body. The Effects can be brutal. The effects include loss of coordination, poor judgement, memory loss, loss of self-control, and slow reflexes. However, you are allowed to drink wine as a child if you do so at Church during communion.

          Never smoke as a child or an adult. It’s very dangerous to the lungs and brain. Nicotine in cigarettes and chewing tobacco reduces the amount of the blood that flows to the brain; this interferes with the way the brain works. There are more than 200 known harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.; more than 400,000 Americans die from tobacco related causes each year. Almost 50,000 deaths per year can be attributed to secondhand smoke.

          Always be a good citizen even if your friends aren’t. A good citizen is someone who acts responsibly by helping someone who is need. You should always avoid a bad situation. If you know of places where people often use drugs, stay away from those places. It’s good to have strength in numbers, so hang around with non users, especially where drug use is expected. Walk away if someone asks you to smoke or drink alcohol. Change the subject if someone asks you to do something that you’re not allowed to do. These are all good situations to do in a bad situation.

         In conclusion, the D.A.R.E. program reveals the dangers many young people are exposed to everyday. By staying tobacco free, avoiding alcohol, and by being a good citizen young people are more likely to become successful, caring, and above all, healthy individuals. There are other choices besides drugs and alcohol; make a positive choice. Don’t become someone who smokes or drinks alcohol, instead follow the D.A.R.E. rules.

I pledge to live my life drug free, never to hurt others by using peer pressure, and never to abuse alcohol. I promise to be a positive role model for others and to encourage my friends to stay away from drugs, tobacco, and violence.