Students against drugs. (Tobacco).(Brief Article)

A II over the country kids are learning what they can do to steer clear of drugs. They are working to keep their friends and community drug-free, too. Here are a few examples of anti-drug programs:

* Police officers take the anti-drug message to schools around the country through a program called D.A.R.E. The officers teach kids what drugs can do to a community and show kids how to handle peer pressure. "Officer Terry taught us that if your friend is trying to get you to do something that's dangerous, he's not really your friend," says Kevin McGrath, who took the course at his California middle school. The kids talked a lot about role models and role-played ways to get out of sticky situations. "Having a police officer in uniform at our lessons made them feel pretty official," adds 12-year-old Jessie Thompson of Massachusetts. The best part? "Getting to know the police officer, being able to ask him questions, and hearing his stories!" says Kevin.

* In 1996, New Jersey students started Children Opposed to Smoking Tobacco (C.O.S.T.). Working together, they asked the owners of local companies to declare their businesses smoke-free. They asked store owners not to put cigarette ads in their windows. They took the anti-smoking message to their local leaders and to the president of the United States.

Project STAR is a community wide program designed to get students, parents, and the business community together to fight drugs. In school, kids learn about drugs and how to resist them. Parents join in the effort by working on Project STAR homework with their kids. They practice communicating with their kids. Together, ...