Lewis and Clark County officials will consider the future of a school anti-drug program, after hearing criticism of it last week.

Charles "Chick" Canterbury, who formerly worked on a state alcohol and drug abuse program, told Lewis and Clark County Commissioners that money set aside for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program could be better spent.

The program is laudable, but just doesn't work, Canterbury said. He said the commission shouldn't have any "sacred cows," nor should it spend $250,000 on a "PR program" that "makes kids feel better about cops."

Canterbury cited a 2003 report by the General Accounting Office, which found "no significant differences in illicit drug use" between fifth- and sixth-graders who had the D.A.R.E. classes and those who did not. Another report attributed to State University of New York-Potsdam researcher David Hanson states that "defenders of the program tend to be indifferent to factual evidence and prefer to rely on feelings, impressions and hopes."

By approving the county budget Tuesday, county commissioners OK'd $252,749 for D.A.R.E., which is drawn from the public safety mill levy.

Undersheriff Leo Dutton said he's aware of the concerns of Canterbury and others, and the department and the county commission will evaluate the program. Because the funding is specifically spelled out in the levy, the funding can't just be stopped or transferred to another program.

It's tough to measure whether the program works or not, Dutton said, but he thinks D.A.R.E. is positive.

"It's hard to evaluate something based on human behavior," he said. "It's got to have a positive impact, because it deals with self image, (and) how to say 'no.'"

The program pays for three instructors, who double as school resource officers. The city has another four school resource officers, who are paid out of a different pool of money.

Helena Police Chief Troy McGee said he believes the program is effective, albeit not 100 percent effective. Neither is driver's ed, he said, because some teenagers who take the course end up getting in accidents.

"It has an impact on some," McGee said.

Commission Chairwoman Anita Varone said last week she'd take Canterbury's comments under advisement.

The Los Angeles-based, non-profit D.A.R.E. America Foundation claims 80 percent of U.S. school districts use their program. The foundation revamped its curricula earlier this year.

Instructors are now trained to be "coaches" and school resource officers, instead of lecturers. And kids are now offered "tangible proof" of drugs' effects, along with mock courtroom exercises to show the "the social and legal consequences of drug use and violence," according to foundation information.

A spokesman for D.A.R.E. America did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Helena School District Superintendent Bruce Messenger said the district's anti-drug programs -- like Youth Connections -- have grown up around the 18-year-old D.A.R.E. program. The relationship has a side benefit, he said, because students get to have a positive relationship with officers.

"I know there's a debate around the D.A.R.E. program," Messenger said. "We think there is value having the officers in the schools."

Caterbury said the foundation's revisions are a good thing. But the use of sworn law enforcement officers makes it very expensive, compared to other similar curricula taught by school or volunteer personnel, he said.