D.A.R.E. Launches K-12 Opioid and OTC/RX Drug Abuse Prevention Curricula

America faces an opioid crisis.

Every day, more than 115 Americans die after overdosing on opioids. Experts project it will increase by 19% annually.

D.A.R.E. Responds.

D.A.R.E. America has created a comprehensive K-12 Opioid and OTC/Rx drug abuse prevention lesson program

Opioid, Prescription & Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse

Today’s youth face substantial risks unprecedented in recent years. In response, D.A.R.E., the most comprehensive drug abuse prevention curricula in the world, has created a comprehensive K-12 Opioid and Over-the-Counter / Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention “enhancement” lesson program. These lessons supplement the D.A.R.E. keepin’ it REAL elementary and middle school curricula, and the D.A.R.E. REAL Messages and myPlaybook high school curricula. This curricula package is FREE to D.A.R.E. communities!

Each law enforcement agency, school district, and community now has the opportunity to provide their students with the knowledge and skills to make safe and healthy decisions and avoid the tragedy of opioid, prescription, and over-the-counter drug abuse.

  • Lessons are delivered by highly trained law enforcement officers who have completed an intensive training program.
  • Lessons utilize interactive, in-person PowerPoint presentations; an on-line presentation and quizzes; parent-child “Family Talk” take home exercises; instructional booklets; and a variety of interactive, hands-on activities.
  • Lessons are based upon the D.A.R.E. Decision-Making Model – Define…Assess… Respond…Evaluate – that provides students the abilities to make safe and healthy decisions.

Comprehensive Lessons for Students, Parents, and Community

D.A.R.E.’s Opioid and OTC/Rx Drug Prevention curricula include:

Grades K-2

Lesson 1: Who to Call in Case of an Emergency
Teaches students how to identify an unsafe situation and explains how to use 9-1-1 in those situations. The lesson also allows practice time for calling 9-1-1 and can be related to emergency medical situations.

Lesson 2: What’s Safe to Touch, Taste, Smell, or Eat
Teaches the difference between food and non-foods and demonstrates how to recognize and be careful with medicines including their proper storage.

Grades 3 / 4

Lesson 1: Laws and Rules to Keep Safe
Acquaints students with the role of law enforcement in the community, school, classroom, and reviews safety practices to protect students from various harmful situations.

Lesson 2: Drugs May Help or Harm
Students learn the definition of a drug and are able to describe how medicines can be helpful. They are also taught how to identify the misuse of medicines and how that can be harmful. Students are shown how to employ safe practices around medicines in the home. Lesson includes a “Safety Tip Sheet.”

Grades 5 / 6

Lesson 1: Rx and OTC Drugs
In this introductory lesson, students will gain knowledge of the definition of medicine and be able to explain the difference between a prescription and over-the-counter medicine. Students will have an opportunity to learn and practice how to read and understand OTC Drug Facts Labels and Rx labels.

Lesson 2: Rx and OTC Drugs / Medicines Help/Medicines Hurt
Students will work through scenarios to demonstrate their ability to apply a decision making process regarding medicines. They will also understand through work booklet activities that drug facts labels contain important information that affects decisions regarding medicines. Information about poison control in their community is also shared.

Grade 7

Lesson 1: Rx and OTC Drugs / Introduction to Opioid Epidemic
Students learn to read and understand OTC drug fact labels and Rx labels and, in doing so, understand that there are differences in the two types of medicines. Through a scenario study, students will also understand that misuse of Rx and OTC medicines through harmful behavior can impact their health. Finally, students are introduced to basic information about the current opioid epidemic, what opioids are, and the depth of the epidemic’s impact on families and communities.

Lesson 2: Rx and OTC Drugs Recognition
Students learn to understand that misuse of either Rx or OTC medicines is harmful behavior that can impact their health. Emphasis is placed on their understanding that decisions regarding the proper use of medicines can be positive and lead to personal confidence. The D.A.R.E. decision making model is used in conjunction with scenarios to cement understanding.

Grade 8

Opioids: An Online Lesson on the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic
Students will process through an on-line PowerPoint which incorporates multiple quizzes on detailed information about opioids and their abuse.

Grades 9 – 12

Lesson 1: Prescription Drugs, Opioids and the Overdose Epidemic
Students will review general information regarding prescription drugs, be able to explain the relationship between prescription drug abuse, opioid drug abuse and heroin, interpret and apply facts surrounding opioid abuse, and understand the term epidemic. The second half of the lesson requires students to recognize indications of a national health crisis involving prescription drug abuse, opioid abuse and overdose and to decide on options to control the opioid epidemic.

Lesson 2: Keeping Safe
This lesson explains why teens may be more vulnerable to the risk of prescription drug abuse, including opioids. The lesson will identify advice (tips) and strategies on what a teen can do to keep themselves safe at home, in physician’s office, in the dorms, on the job and in social situations. It will provide information on how to get and give help for a dependency problem.

Community / Parent Presentation

A majority of teens report that their parents have not talked to them about misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. This community/parent presentation conducted via PowerPoint and brochure provides important facts, insights regarding why teens may be vulnerable to misuse of prescription drugs, and prevention strategies.

Copyright © 2022 D.A.R.E. America. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2022 D.A.R.E. America.
All Rights Reserved.