DARE  Q&A

5th Grader (02/20/2026): 

   When a person becomes addicted to nicotine, alcohol, or drugs, are they always addicted, or can they stop?  

That's a great question.  All people are different in how they handle addiction.  Some people are prone to developing an addiction, while other people are more sensitive to addictive substances. 

But anyone can quit an addiction.  But it takes a lot of willpower and drive to do so.  Some people might deal with addiction their whole lives, and some can quit and never think twice about it.  The important thing is to have a good reason to quit, so it will help motivate them.  There are also many great quitting tools out there for people to use.

5th Grader (02/02/2026):

   Do we have to do the DARE Poster Contest?  

While creating a Dare Poster is not a requirement, I encourage you to do one!  It's a fun way to be creative and show what you have learned in DARE class.  Plus, there is a chance you can make it to the MN DARE state finals.  6 posters are chosen to be sent to MN DARE to be judged.  Those chosen receive DARE prizes and have a chance to win tickets to see the MN Twins.

5th Grader (04/16/2025):

   Why is nicotine unhealthy for kids?  

Nicotine is unhealthy for many reasons.  It is an addictive substance that can lead to a lifelong addiction to nicotine or lead to other harmful drugs and chemicals.  It can also harm cognitive functions like learning, memory, and attention.  Nicotine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, potentially leading to heart problems and stroke.  Smoking and vaping nicotine can cause lung irritation, damage, and respiratory issues like coughing and shortness of breath.

5th Grader (04/28/2025):

   Why is tobacco unhealthy?  Like cigarettes and cigars.

When people use tobacco products, like cigars and cigarettes, they are inhaling many different dangerous chemicals.  If you compare the lungs of a longtime smoker to a non-smoker, it can be shocking to see.  Instead of having nice and healthy pink lungs, the smoker will develop black/grey lungs.  Black tar from the tobacco products can build up on your lungs and airways, affecting your ability to breathe. 

5th Grader (04/22/2025):

   Why do we allow companies to continue to make tobacco products if they are unhealthy?  Why not just make them illegal?

The short answer to this is MONEY.  It's all about the money.  Globally, the tobacco products market generated $988.4 billion in revenue in 2024.  For the United States, it's around $107.5 billion.  That includes $82.7 billion from the cigarette market alone in 2024.  E-cigarettes and Vapes are around $8.8 billion in 2024, which is growing rapidly.  

There are many reasons why we haven't made them illegal.  The US Government often receives a lot of revenue from tobacco sales taxes.  Also, the tobacco and nicotine industry spends lots of its money to make it harder for the US Government to make its products illegal.  But some countries have made vaping illegal so far. 

Several countries have banned vaping, including Argentina, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Iran, Mexico, Singapore, and Thailand. The bans often include the sale, import, and distribution of vaping products.

5th Grader (04/22/2025):

   What does Stress have to do with drugs, nicotine, and alcohol?

When people feel stressed, they turn to something to help relieve that stressful feeling.  Some ways to deal with stress can be good for you, like working out or meditation.  But some people choose an unhealthy way to relieve stress, like drugs and alcohol. 

Stress and substance abuse are strongly linked together and often create a cycle that's hard to stop.  Stress will trigger substance use, which in turn can worsen the stress and increase cravings for the substances (drugs, nicotine, and alcohol).  This relationship is fueled by the brain's reward system, which can be disrupted by both stress and substance use.  Your brain gets the dopamine it wants, but in a bad or unhealthy way.  

5th Grader (04/03/2025):

   Will we have DARE again?

Unfortunately, you will not have DARE again.  You only have DARE Classes in the 5th grade at our school.  I would love to teach it to multiple grade levels each year, but it would be hard to arrange that.  But you can always ask me any questions you have here.