The Czech chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World brings the truth about drugs to the country’s youth.

Volunteers of the Czech chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World are at the forefront of the “human rights-based approach to drug policy” adopted by the Council of Europe under the leadership of the six-month Czech Presidency that ended December 31, 2022. The Council's drug policy emphasizes demand reduction as a crucial part of addressing the drug problem. And this has been the driving purpose of these Drug-Free World volunteers for the past two decades—to reduce demand by providing youth with the truth about drugs.

 

Much of what young people hear about drugs comes from those selling them. Reformed drug dealers confess they would have said anything to get others to buy drugs.

But providing the truth cuts through the pro-drug propaganda. You have only to look at the faces of youth attending Drug-Free World lectures to know that these volunteers are hitting home. 

“As long as people think drugs are a matter of personal freedom and don’t see the harm in them, they are willing to try them,” says Vlastimil Špalek, chairman of Drug-Free Czech Republic. “And once they start using, they’re soon addicted. It is not good enough just to tell young people not to get involved with drugs. You have to give them a way to get the facts themselves, come to their own conclusions, and make their own decisions about whether or not to get involved.”

 

Each June, Špalek and his team cycle and run throughout their country on the Cyclo-Run for a Drug-Free Czech Republic to bring the truth about drugs to towns and cities throughout the country. In fact, 2023 marks the sports event’s 20th anniversary. But the Drug-Free World volunteers are busy educating with the Foundation’s Truth About Drugs materials throughout the year. Volunteers organize drug-education lectures in schools and the youth-friendly booklets and videos make an impact on the students. Špalek and his team are featured in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

A teacher from the town of Vsetin, who attended a Truth About Drugs presentation in her school, said that she never saw or heard such a simple, powerful and truthful lecture about drugs. “We learned a lot of new and interesting things. Finally, a program that makes sense.” In response to one of the lectures, a student wrote, “Fascinating. I was captivated the whole time. And it was fun too.”