Volunteers from the Church of Scientology join Cagliari shops and restaurants in reaching out to youth with the truth about drugs.

A beautiful stretch of golden sand just miles from the heart of the island’s capital, Poetto Beach, a favorite of tourists and locals, was bustling this week with the summer drawing to a close. But here, as in towns and cities everywhere, addiction takes its toll.

For a decade, Poetto shop owners have joined forces with volunteers from the Church of Scientology of Sardinia to help beachgoers make positive choices, using drug education booklets published by Foundation for a Drug-Free World.

Volunteers visiting local restaurants this week received a warm welcome with owners and managers happy to display the information. One waiter wanted a Drug-Free World T-shirt. “I would like to promote the message too,” he said.

The owner of a kiosk voiced his concern about how many young people abuse cocaine. “They use it without knowing the consequences,” he said. He asked for copies of The Truth About Cocaine booklet so he could get them into their hands.

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 Foundation’s Truth About Drugs materials are practical tools to educate young people about substance abuse. Free drug prevention courses on the most commonly abused drugs are available in 20 languages on the Foundation’s website. 

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. Scientologists’ support of the campaign makes it possible for the Foundation to provide drug education booklets, videos and educator guides free of charge to teachers, mentors and civic and community leaders.