
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 25, 1990                   TAG: 9003252089
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C7   EDITION: NEW RIVER 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Medium

SCHOOLS' ANTI-DRUG PROGRAMS CRITICIZED

Armed with hundreds of millions of dollars, schools and agencies across the country are fighting a war on drugs.

But they say many students dismiss the anti-drug message and parental support is hard to come by.

In the 1990 fiscal year, communities will receive $540 million from the federal government for drug education programs. Over the past three years, more than $14 million in federal drug education money has been spread around Virginia.

But a report prepared for Congress last year says drug education programs often increase knowledge and sometimes change attitudes - but rarely result in lasting changes in behavior.

"They're a joke," said Lisa Green, a junior at Lee-Davis High School in Hanover County. "They have things like SADD [Students Against Drunk Driving] but the people who belong to that are the same ones who get drunk on Saturday nights."

Otesa Middleton, a senior at John Marshall High School in Richmond, said drug education is little more than cursory. Only students who get in trouble get more rigorous instruction.

"I guess it helps," she said. "But it's too short to do a perfect job. It's not long enough."

Said David N. Saunders, a VCU professor and a member of a state task force on substance abuse: "You can educate the . . . out of young people, but that's not enough unless you have a community commitment."

A 1988 Virginia Commonwealth University report says most drug education programs result in "significant gains in knowledge but minimum gains in attitude change."

Henrico's drug education coordinator, Gilbert Cumbia, said: "I think we make an impact when the kids are in the program. But it is hard to sustain. Are we having an impact down the road? It's questionable."

Cumbia said that of the 239 students who have gone through a three-day program of frank discussions on drug use, only 16 have gotten into drug-related trouble a second time.

Despite the doubts, drug education programs burgeon. President Bush has taken the lead, declaring war on drugs and placing a heavy burden on education for winning it. Congress has followed, passing legislation that says every school district in the country must have drug education programs in place by October or risk losing all federal assistance.

by CNB