Organizations aim to reduce drug use, drinking

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The National Highway Safety Association estimates there has been a 3.7 percent decline in drunk driving-related crashes since 2007.

Some believe organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving have played a role in the reduction of accidents.

White lake freshman Karen Mullane attended a MADD class after receiving a minor in possession charge a year ago.

“The class was more inspiring than educating, I thought,” Mullane said. “The pictures and videos of past alcohol victims were really intense and definitely made me think twice.”

The groups MADD, Students Against Destructive Decisions and Drug Abuse Resistance Education were founded in the early 1980s.

In 2007, an estimated 12,998 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, according to the safety association. In the past few years, those numbers have decreased slightly, and substance abuse organizations continue to spread their message, the association reported.

MADD, SADD, and D.A.R.E. all exist to teach people about safety issues and prevention methods from alcohol and drugs.

“I think these programs get the message across by showing real life victims and situations,” she said.

The class was actually helpful in the long run, she said.

Clare County Police Officer and D.A.R.E. teacher Alan White has been teaching D.A.R.E. to sixth graders for 15 years and says the D.A.R.E. program has helped him build a relationships with the children.

“Prevention is difficult to measure, but I’m 100 percent sure that D.A.R.E. has helped me develop a great rapport with the kids every year; they get to know me as a person, not just an officer,” White said. “D.A.R.E. is very worthwhile for what it costs and the amount of time put into it.”

While the organizations’ intentions are positive, some say the effects do not last. Jamie Connelly, a former police officer and D.A.R.E. teacher in Waterford, agrees that the organizations are worthwhile, but said they are not sticking with people.

“The other 23 hours of the day that people aren’t influenced by these programs, they could be facing many kinds of peer pressure,” Connelly said.

metro@cm-life.com