George W. Bush

“ Drugs destroy the hopes, dreams, and the health of our children, and we must continue to work to reduce drug use among America's young people. Today we honor Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) , the most widely recognized substance abuse and violence prevention curriculum in America. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this important program, we recognize D.A.R.E.'s proud record of helping millions of young people lead productive, drug-free, and violence-free lives, and reaffirm our commitment to end illegal drug use among our youth. ”

“ I call upon all the people of the United States, particularly our youth, parents, and educators, to observe this day by joining the fight against drugs in our communities. I also encourage our citizens to express appreciation for the law enforcement officers, volunteers, and others who work to help young people avoid the dangers of drug use. ”

“ Since that beginning 20 years ago, D.A.R.E. has grown to reach 36 million students in more than 300,000 classrooms in the United States and around the world. Today, D.A.R.E. programs are taught in 80 percent of our Nation's school districts. ”