Response to Comment by Hecht & Miller-Day on “Truth and D.A.R.E.: Is D.A.R.E.’s new Keepin’ it REAL curriculum suitable for American nationwide implementation?”

Abstract

We would first like to thank the Editors-in-Chief ofDrugs:Education, Prevention, and Policyfor the opportunityto respond to the Comment written by Drs. Hecht andMiller-Day.We contend our paper does not conclude that Keepin’ itREAL is ineffective. The purpose of our paper is to answerthe question ‘‘Is D.A.R.E.’s new Keepin’ it REAL curriculumsuitable for American nationwide implementation,’’ and not‘‘Has Keepin’ it REAL been effective at curbing substanceuse in a randomized controlled trial(s).’’ As Hecht, Miller-Day, and their collaborators have shown in several studies(many of which are cited in our paper), the answer to the latterquestion is yes. Our paper, on the other hand, answers theformer question, with what we suggest is a healthy dose ofcaution, but not outright criticism.