The Truth About Drugs: Worldwide Drug Education

Every 12 seconds another school-age child experiments with illicit drugs for the first time—a grim reminder of just how pervasive drug abuse is among young people.

To combat this epidemic, the Church of Scientology sponsors the largest non-governmental anti-drug information and prevention campaign on Earth. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates commensurately drop. By statistical survey, the Drug-Free World campaign has thus far prevented some 500,000 young people from recreational drug use or worse.

There is still, however, much more to be done. Mr. David Miscavige's original conceptualizing of the initiative included ensuring that the effective materials that make up the campaign’s educational components would be made available free of charge to all who request them. Thus, the Church of Scientology offers the publications (which neither contain nor advocate any Scientology beliefs) to like-minded anti-drug coalitions, government institutions, civic groups and schools. These materials include The Truth About Drugs series of 13 educational booklets—covering the major “drugs of choice” and presented in a straightforward manner to educate young people on the actual effects. The campaign has won multiple awards for the content and effectiveness of its audiovisual components.

There is also a study guide, activities manual and an educator’s classroom kit. These provide teachers, law enforcement and community groups with effective tools to educate youth and enable them to make correct decisions about drugs.

Finally, there is the newly released 90-minute documentary to accompany and complement The Truth About Drugs series of booklets. Each video chapter offers an in-depth look at an individual drug, as told by those who survived addiction.

In all, the Drug-Free World campaign represents an enormous stride toward raising a generation who will remain free from the ravages of drug abuse.

Drug-Free World - supported by the Church of Scientology.

Scientology Volunteers Attack Drug Abuse in Sydney

Scientology youth attack drug abuse at 26th annual Glebe Street Fair.

Members of the Church of Scientology of Sydney, Australia, who belong to the Drug-Free Ambassadors were out in force Sunday, November 15, distributing thousands of fliers at the 26th annual Glebe Street Fair. Their purpose: to inform kids about drug abuse and the truth about drugs so they make informed decisions to stay drug free.

Concerned about a new drug called Mephedrone, or “MM-Cat,” that Sydney students and club goers buy over the Internet, the Drug-Free Ambassadors spent the day talking to kids and teens, swearing them in as Drug-Free Ambassadors. New Drug-Free Ambassadors take a pledge to be drug free and to help their family and friends do the same.

“The drug-free message is really important to get out in times like these,” said Drug-Free Ambassadors spokesperson Cyrus Brooks. “People are bombarded with bad news in the media and they look for escape, especially young people. Unfortunately there is a lot of false propaganda around that drugs and alcohol provide that escape. We need to attack these lies as it’s just not true.”

Brooks and his Drug-Free Ambassador team inform youth of the short-term effects of drugs such as Mephedrone and Ecstasy, which include paranoia and depression, and that users risk even more serious long-term effects such as kidney failure and cardiovascular collapse.

Cocaine, another popular “party drug,” has similar effects but can also cause tactile hallucination, with some kids talking about having the sensation of bugs burrowing into their skin. This drug can also cause reproductive damage and infertility. “Drugs like these ruin lives,” says Brooks. “The best solution is to not get caught in the drug trap in the first place.”

At the Glebe Street Fair the Drug-Free Ambassadors distributed a brochure explaining what drugs are, how they destroy creativity and why drugs don’t actually bring happiness, but quite the opposite. Dixon Restaurant in Chinatown and the Church of Scientology of Australia funded the printing of the brochure, which is being translated into Chinese and Korean to get the word out to Sydney’s Asian population too.

Drug-Free Ambassadors, founded by the Church of Scientology in 1993, helps communities all over Australia fight the scourge of drugs. For more information on the Drug-Free Ambassadors of Sydney visit their web site at www.drugfreeambassadors.com.au.

Drug-Free Marshals of Los Angeles Promote Red Ribbon Anti-Drug Week

Scientology-sponsored group helps hundreds of Los Angeles youth commit to living drug-free lives in commemoration of Red Ribbon Week 2009.

The Drug-Free Marshals chapter sponsored by the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles swore in hundreds of youth to live drug-free lives at a ceremony Saturday in honor of the 21st anniversary of Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon Week honors the life of DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena whose death in 1985 was a wakeup call to the dangers of drugs and the drug trade. Camarena, an 11-year DEA agent working undercover in Mexico, was on the way to breaking up a multibillion-dollar drug pipeline when he was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by Mexican drug traffickers.

In 1988, the National Family Partnership sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Week, with President and Mrs. Reagan its honorary chairpersons. Community groups, schools and churches hold yearly events to commemorate Camarena’s work and rally support for drug education and prevention.

The Drug-Free Marshals takes its name from the U.S. marshals, a force for good popularized in novels and movies about the American West. The program was founded by the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles in 1993. Since then the program has helped more than 3 million youth worldwide pledge to be drug-free.

The Los Angeles Drug-Free Marshals and their parents “armed” themselves with booklets published by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World that provide information on the most commonly used drugs, such as marijuana, alcohol, heroin, crystal meth, prescription drugs, inhalants and painkillers.

“We need to educate our children about drug and alcohol abuse. Our children are constantly exposed to drugs at school, on television, and in movies, so if we don’t tell them the truth, you can be sure that the drug-dealers will tell them lies. By early intervention we can prevent drug abuse, which also leads to violence,” said Edie Reuveni, President of the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles. “Studies show a direct link between youth involvement in drugs and gang violence. Humanitarian, L. Ron Hubbard said, ‘When children become unimportant to a society, that society has forfeited its future.’ Unless we educate our children and take responsibility for them, we all lose.”

For more information about the drug education and prevention programs sponsored by the Church of Scientology visit www.scientology.org.

Scientology in Taiwan Spreading the Word on the Truth about Drugs

Recently awarded for their work in combating drug abuse and addiction, the Church of Scientology continues its work to provide the truth about drugs

The Church of Scientology of Taiwan is not content to have received the Ministry of Interior’s annual Excellent Religious Group Award for the sixth time. On the contrary, this award has merely served to inspire young Scientologists to work faster and help their country.

Dedicated to helping the next generation avoid the tragedy of drug abuse and addiction, over the past year alone the Church of Scientology conducted 99 drug education events in Taiwan and distributed 45,150 anti-drug booklets.

Young Scientologists take to the streets during peak traffic, and distribute copies of The Truth about Drugs series of drug education booklets. They know that when young people know the truth about drugs they will make the right choice to stay drug free.

L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, warned, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances.” The Church of Scientology of Taiwan is committed to reversing this trend and making Taiwan the first drug-free country.

For more information on the Drug education activities of the Church of Scientology, visit the Scientology web site.