COVID-19 is surging throughout Europe and the Americas. Foundation for a Drug-Free World says turning to drugs is the wrong solution for the pandemic’s emotional toll.

As the holiday season approaches, with COVID-19 restrictions preventing families from getting together this year, Drug-Free World Foundation chapters are warning their communities that turning to drugs is not the solution.

In the U.S., 40 states have reported increased overdose deaths since the pandemic began. 

“It is truly the pandemic within the pandemic,” says Michael DeLeon, CEO and founder of Steered Straight. “But it is the one very few people are discussing.” 

 

Steered Straight is a nonprofit organization providing educational programs and materials to youth, families and communities across the country and around the world. DeLeon is the #1 booked drug prevention lecturer in U.S. schools.

“Parents ask me all the time what they can do to prevent their child from growing up to struggle with addiction. How can it be prevented?” says DeLeon.

In a documentary on the Scientology Network, DeLeon describes how he found the drug education materials he and his Steered Straight team use in all their presentations. He was searching for a way to get through to kids and he googled “drugs are a lie” and a video popped up.

“Man, I could almost cry,” he says and he realized “this is it!” This was exactly what he needed.

Since then, he has used the Truth About Drugs materials in all his presentations. 

But so many schools are closed this year, which is only worsening the sense of isolation young people are experiencing and putting them more at risk of turning to drugs.

Foundation for a Drug-Free World stepped up with a solution. They have turned the Truth About Drugs curriculum that DeLeon and other drug educators use in classroom or seminar settings into free online courses. They are available in 20 languages at www.drugfreeworld.org/course.

All Truth About Drugs materials are also available to be used, downloaded or ordered free of charge from the Drug-Free World website.

Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free.

The story of Michael DeLeon and Steered Straight is presented in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network. 

The network was launched by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018 and includes Voices for Humanity, a series that presents Church-sponsored humanitarian and social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. All programming is available in 17 languages through DIRECTV Channel 320 and at www.scientology.tv.