An open house on International Day Against Drug Abuse June 26 at the Church of Scientology Atlanta featured the Georgia Foundation for a Drug-Free World and motivational speaker James Brown.

The Georgia Foundation for a Drug-Free World and the James Brown Youth Empowerment Organization teamed up on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking June 26 to bring a vital message to the people of Atlanta. And not a moment too soon.

That same day, police in nearby Marietta issued a warning that opioid abuse has reached epidemic proportions and is now a danger to the general public.

“There is an increasing amount of Fentanyl and Carfentanil recently showing up across America and it is now causing concern that residue inadvertently left behind in places later accessed by the public may cause accidental exposures and potential overdoses of unsuspecting victims,” said the Marietta police department in their statement.

Once a star high school athlete who served his nation as a naval officer, Mr. Brown began dealing drugs—a decision and action that irrevocably altered his existence. Ultimately he was robbed at gunpoint and shot in the neck, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down and fated to live the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair.

Rather than lie in bed feeling sorry himself, he decided to “accept God’s grace, to have life and have it more abundantly by making a difference,” not only in his life but in the lives of others, especially youth.

To carry out this mission, he shares his life story, both as a way to heal past wounds and to help others overcome their own challenges.

Searching for a program to help him carry out his purpose, Brown found the Foundation for a Drug-Free World and its award-winning Truth About Drugs initiative and contacted the Atlanta chapter to forge a partnership.

The James Brown Youth Empowerment Organization (JBYEO) is dedicated to mentoring and inspiring youth. Its mission is to effectively educate, encourage and empower children and young adults against engaging in risky behaviors, including but not limited to substance abuse and gang membership.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the world on the true destructive nature of illicit drugs and eradicate their use entirely.

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support the Foundation for a Drug-Free World and make its materials available to educators, mentors, parents and community and religious leaders free of charge for their use in drug education and prevention activities.

According to the United Nations Office on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, “Every dollar spent on prevention can save governments up to ten dollars in later costs.”