Scientology-sponsored drug prevention group helps make healthy choices

As media headlines scream out about the opioid epidemic, grateful parents and their older children welcome the last week in October, which brings with it Red Ribbon Week Drug Awareness events across the nation.

Red Ribbon Week, observed annually from October 23-31, is the Nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program, reaching millions of Americans.

Since the early 1990s, the Churches of Scientology have been major participants in Red Ribbon Week each year – first through its early Drug-Free Marshals program and later through the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW).

This year, on October 27, the local St. Louis chapter of FDFW joined University City’s “Trunk or Treat” event. The city had rapidly arranged to use the indoor soccer field at the Centennial Commons recreation center. Normally, as the name of the event implies, various social reform organizations set up “booths”—the trunks of their cars—to pass out information and/or treats to local children. This year, the venue was changed due to temperatures hovering in the low 40°s.

With the change of venue, the attendance was tremendous, with a constant line, four to five people deep spanning the entire circumference of the soccer field for two solid hours.

In addition to the highly anticipated candy, FDFW handed out Truth About Drugs booklets, which were very well received by parents who want to see their children grow into healthy adults with no worries about them succumbing to the heroin epidemic.

Children and parents alike expressed great appreciation and enthusiasm for the booklets and many commented so, indicating that such education was definitely needed. Several came back to ask for more.

In the short two hours of the event, more than 1,350 booklets were distributed.

Red Ribbon Week was established shortly after the brutal murder in 1985 of Special Agent Enrique (“Kiki”) Camarena, an 11-year Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent to celebrate his life and honor his sacrifice. His tragic death opened the eyes of many Americans to the dangers of drugs and the international scope of the drug trade.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW) is a secular nonprofit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions to live drug-free. The Church of Scientology and its members support the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, whose Truth About Drugs campaign is one of the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention initiatives. Thanks to this support, the Foundation provides—free of charge—drug education booklets, videos and educator guides to teachers, mentors and civic and community leaders.

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.”