Designating September 14, 1989, as "National D.A.R.E. Day".
PL 101-54 (H.J.Res.276), enacted 07/07/1989

103 STAT. 146 
PUBLIC LAW 101-54—JULY 7, 1989 
Public Law 101-54 
101st Congress 
Joint Resolution 
July 7, 1989 
[H.J. Res. 276] 
Designating September 14, 1989, as "National D.A.R.E. Day". 
Whereas D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a semester-
long program that teaches fifth and sixth grade children how to 
resist pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol; 
Whereas the D.A.R.E. program is also provided to kindergarten and 
junior high school students and their parents; 
Whereas D.A.R.E. targets children when they are most vulnerable 
to tremendous peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol and teaches 
the skills to make positive decisions and resist pressure to engage 
in negative behaviors; 
Whereas more than 1,200 communities in 48 States now conduct the 
D.A.R.E. program in their local schools, and a pilot program has 
been implemented for use internationally in the Department of 
Defense Dependent Schools; 
Whereas almost 3 million students have been reached through 
D.A.R.E.; 
Whereas because school children are frequently much more sophisti-
cated about substance abuse than are classroom teachers, the 
D.A.R.E. program is taught by veteran police officers with direct 
experience in cases involving criminal activity and ruined lives 
caused by substance abuse; 
Whereas each police officer who teaches the D.A.R.E. program 
completes an 80-hour training course that includes instruction in 
teaching techniques, officer-school relationship, development of 
self-esteem, child development, and communication skills; 
Whereas the D.A.R.E. curriculum, developed by the Los Angeles 
Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District, 
helps students understand self-image, recognize stress and 
manage it without taking drugs, analyze and resist media presen-
tations about alcohol and drugs, evaluate risk-taking behavior, 
resist gang pressure, apply decision making skills, and evaluate 
the consequences of the choices available to them; 
Whereas independent research shows that the D.A.R.E. program 
has exceeded its goal of helping students combat peer pressure to 
use drugs and alcohol, by contributing to improved study habits 
and grades and decreased vandalism and gang activity and by 
generating greater respect for police officers; and 
Whereas the D.A.R.E. program has achieved outstanding success 
teaching positive and effective approaches to what is one of the 
most difficult problems facing our young people today, namely 
drug abuse: Now, therefore, be it 
PUBLIC LAW 101-54—JULY 7, 1989 
103 STAT. 147 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That September 14,1989, is 
designated as "National D.A.R.E. Day", and the President of the 
United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation 
calling upon the people of the United States to observe that day with 
appropriate ceremonies and activities. 
Approved July 7, 1989. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.J. Res. 276 (S.J. Res. 121): 
CX)NGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 135 (1989): 
June 6, considered and passed House. 
June 22, considered and passed Senate.