WHEREAS, Childhood and adolescent alcohol and drug use have become major public health problems in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The abuse of drugs and alcohol amongst our youth has resulted in the decline of health, self-esteem, scholastic achievement and school attendance for many of our society's younger citizens; and

WHEREAS, Early education intervention has become a productive and effective tool in promoting a drug-free life-style; and

WHEREAS, In 1983 the Los Angeles Police Department instituted a program known as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) to instruct and educate our youth about the dead end path and destruction which drugs create in the lives of addicted people; and

WHEREAS, The effectiveness of D.A.R.E. has been proven by the expansion of its goals, principles and methods of instruction to thousands of communities throughout the length and breadth of the nation, in addition to programs in Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Canada; and

WHEREAS, D.A.R.E. incorporates the training and experience of veteran police officers, educators, students and civil leaders concerned about the rapid spread of drug use and peer pressure to experiment with these dangerous substances; and

WHEREAS, This educational effort has provided many students the opportunity to realize that "saying no" to drugs and alcohol is a positive step that they can take toward living happy, fulfilling and productive lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby declares April 11, 1996 to be "National D.A.R.E. Day" in the Ocean State and encourages all of the citizens of Rhode Island to use this opportunity to salute the law enforcement officials and educators involved in this invaluable program.