Talk It Up Colorado

Tell DARE to Admit Marijuana is Safer

It's time for the nation's largest drug education program to get its facts straight when it comes to the world's two most popular recreational substances.

In a guest column in opposition to the marijuana reform initiative on the ballot in California, DARE America Chairman Skip Miller goes off about how marijuana "mushes up your brain," "lowers inhibitions," and "makes users engage in risky behavior." Meanwhile, the DARE America website discusses how "[s]ocial drinking is an acceptable and pleasurable activity for millions of Americans," which "relaxes you, curbs stress, and chases away inhibitions."

DARE instructors from across the nation are gathering this week for the DARE International Training Conference. We can't help but assume they will be instructed to continue spreading this misguided and potentially dangerous message that alcohol is an acceptable form of intoxication for adults, yet marijuana is just too harmful, cannot be consumed responsibly, and thus should never be allowed as an alternative.

Take action today and send DARE a message!

Use the form below to send an e-mail to Mr. Miller with all the information he should need to arrive at the conclusion that marijuana is far safer than alcohol. Then encourage others to do so, as well.

Subject:

Your Letter:

In your recent column in the San Jose Mercury News, you went to great lengths to express your concern about the potential harms of marijuana.  Yet you failed to address one key fact: every objective study on marijuana has concluded that it is FAR less harmful than alcohol.  For a quick review of the facts, please visit http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/

I am writing to call on you and DARE America to incorporate this fact into the DARE curriculum.  Marijuana and alcohol are by far the two most popular recreational substances in the world, and it's time we start telling the truth about their relative harms.  After all, it's irresponsible -- and potentially dangerous -- to continue spreading the message that alcohol use is acceptable for adults and the use of a far safer substance is not.

On the DARE America website, you discuss how "[s]ocial drinking is an acceptable and pleasurable activity for millions of Americans," which "relaxes you, curbs stress, and chases away inhibitions."  Yet alcohol is far more toxic, more addictive, and more harmful to the user and to society than marijuana.  Why shouldn't we allow adults to make the rational, safer choice to use marijuana for those very same purposes?

I understand you will be receiving a complimentary copy of the book, "Marijuana is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?" -- an offer that has also been extended to every DARE instructor in the nation.  It's my sincere hope that you will review the scientific information it provides and incorporate it into the DARE program moving forward.  You can also find a brief summary of this information at http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/

Sincerely,

Louis R. (Skip) Miller

DARE America
Chairman