National D.A.R.E. Day, 2010

Proclamation 8494 of April 8, 2010

National D.A.R.E. Day, 2010

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every day, young Americans face pressures to engage in
violent activities, drug use, and other harmful
behavior. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to
empowering our children to resist violence and
substance abuse.

Drug dependence affects individuals from all
backgrounds, and its debilitating effects often go
unaddressed. Too many of our families are afflicted by
addiction, and too many lives are ruined by its harmful
impact. Drug abuse is not an isolated crime, and
communities experience the tragic results when drug-
related violence and gang activity reach our
neighborhoods. It takes parents, guardians, educators,
clergy, law enforcement officers, and other mentors to
demonstrate that a healthy and drug-free lifestyle can
build a strong foundation for future success.

Families must be vigilant in recognizing and addressing
the warning signs of drug and alcohol abuse. From
prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to
chemical inhalants, many substances can be harmful if
abused, and preventing our children from doing so is
vital. I urge friends and loved ones to be role-models
and to discuss the consequences of drug use with the
young people in their lives.

Community-based prevention and treatment programs can
provide young Americans with mentors and reinforce
positive behavior. Through the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (D.A.R.E.) program, law enforcement personnel
contribute their expertise to help teach America's
youth to resist peer pressure, and to abstain from
drugs, gangs, and violence. We all have a
responsibility to join these professionals in enabling
youth to choose alternatives to violence and dangerous
behavior and to lead the next generation of Americans
toward a brighter future.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 8, 2010, as
National D.A.R.E. Day. I call upon all Americans to
observe this day with appropriate programs and
activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.