With events for all ages and a great cause, the Centennial Beach Drug-Free Dash in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, raised awareness about drug abuse and addiction and was also just plain fun.

Open to every age group, even dogs, the second annual Drug-Free Dash in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, made drug prevention fun for the entire family.

Hosted by the Society for a Drug-Free B.C. in partnership with Foundation for a Drug-Free World, the event was organized to raise awareness of the drug epidemic in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

“There is a huge opioid crisis in B.C.,” said Wendy Field, codirector and spokesperson for the society. “Last year there were over 1,533 people in B.C. who suffered illicit drug toxicity deaths or overdoses. Many of these are youth making a bad choice taking drugs just once and then dying.

“We need to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs and educate our youth so they can make an informed decision, ultimately to save lives. Our overworked social services, corrections personnel, police and first responders are hard-pressed to handle this crisis.”

Proceeds from the event went to KidSport Delta and the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Coast B.C. which provide organized sports and after-school activities to help promote an active, healthy lifestyle for youth.

The Foundation’s drug education materials are provided by the Society to youth groups, law enforcement and educators. These hard-hitting DVDs and booklets describe the most commonly abused drugs, complete with street names and harmful side effects.

The aim is to get these resources into use so children will know what to expect, and can make life-saving decisions.

The Society also provides free kits to teachers, police and community workers to aid them in drug education.

For more on the society or to get information about the drug education materials, email info@drugfreedash.ca. 

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Foundation for a Drug-Free World and make these materials available free of charge to anyone wishing to use them to handle the drug-abuse epidemic. After extensive social research, author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard called drugs “the single most destructive element present in our current culture.”

For more information, visit the Drug-Free World website or watch The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories on the Scientology Network.