Community Volunteers Increase Anti-Drug Efforts Nationwide in France

PARIS, France — November 2025 — Throughout the autumn, Drug-Free World France volunteers intensified their presence across the country, carrying out a broad series of drug-prevention actions that reached thousands of residents in both large cities and smaller towns. From the western coast to the Rhône-Alpes region, from Paris to the South-West, the initiative worked with parents, educators, shopkeepers, young adults and health professionals who were looking for clear and reliable information on the risks of narcotics and synthetic substances. ((as noted in a recent article on Scientology Europe).

This heightened activity comes as public discussion in France is placing more and more attention on young people’s exposure to drugs and the emergence of new synthetic substances in schools and local communities. Teachers, health practitioners and community leaders have voiced concern about early experimentation, while grassroots organisations continue to play an essential role in delivering practical, community-level prevention. The Truth About Drugs programme—developed within the humanitarian legacy of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology—promotes factual and accessible materials as a foundation for informed decisions and responsible choices.

In early October, volunteers in Brittany visited a network of small shops, cafés and businesses, providing more than a thousand Truth About Drugs booklets in areas where merchants expressed both interest and appreciation for the materials. Several shop owners spoke with volunteers about the spread of synthetic drugs and the ways families are looking for clearer information. One volunteer recounted that a restaurant employer in the region had previously given up news euro 24 drugs after watching an educational video on synthetic substances and later informed his staff that the workplace would be drug-free. The volunteer considered this a clear illustration of the positive ripple effects that factual prevention can have.

As the month progressed, additional outreach in western France sparked conversations with pharmacists, municipal workers, parents and educators. A pharmacist running an addiction-support clinic asked for a display stand and additional materials for her patients, explaining that she had used the booklets effectively the previous year. A law-enforcement representative in the area also obtained materials for use with the public, stressing the usefulness of clear prevention tools in daily contacts. In several cafés, owners remarked that prevention resources were coming “at the right time”, referring to local worries about early exposure to drugs.

Further east, in towns in the Loire and Rhône-Alpes regions, volunteers visited dozens of merchants who willingly displayed the materials for customers and employees. Many discussions revolved around copyright, with several residents observing that its use was becoming more visible among different age groups and social environments.

A notable rise in engagement occurred in Reims, where volunteers distributed tens of thousands of booklets over a short period. Shopkeepers of all types—from boutiques to larger retail outlets—set aside space for displays and, in many cases, requested extra booklets. One young manager recognised the booklet from a distribution he had encountered during his student years in another city. After reading it at the time, he had quit smoking and explained to volunteers that he appreciated how clearly the booklet presented the facts. Another business owner raised concerns about the presence of substances such as PTC among local youth, describing the effects as particularly destabilising. During street outreach, a young adult said he had ended his use of PTC several weeks earlier and encouraged the volunteers to carry on, calling their efforts “very important.”

In Paris, volunteers carried out one of their most extensive autumn activities in a neighbourhood where families have often expressed concern about drug-related issues. Thousands of booklets were distributed to shops, and many residents took the opportunity to speak directly with volunteers. A psychologist who encountered the team asked for a full display for her practice, stating that she planned to use the materials in her awareness work with clients. A couple picked up booklets for their daughter, who often travels with friends, calling them a practical tool for starting preventive discussions. Several local residents expressed appreciation that such resources were being made available at street level.

South-western France also saw sustained engagement, featuring a prevention stand in Bordeaux that drew regular attention from residents and local businesses. In addition to booklets distributed in surrounding shops, volunteers completed impairment-simulation exercises using glasses that mimic the effects of alcohol or cannabis, prompting discussions about the risks associated with recreational consumption. Merchants in the region highlighted the importance of offering adolescents and young adults tools to understand substance-related dangers.

Other towns across the South-West, including Agen, welcomed volunteers who distributed booklets in shops where owners expressed interest in supporting longer-term prevention. In Toulouse, volunteers kept up their outreach activities in neighbourhoods where teachers and youth workers often ask for materials. In Nice, a street stand enabled exchanges with families affected by addiction, and several individuals asked to be contacted about participating in future activities, including one who expressed interest in joining the association.

As autumn drew to a close, additional outreach in eastern France saw several hundred booklets distributed in Belfort, where a social-housing worker requested an entire box of inhalant-gas booklets for families he believed would benefit. Local shops showed strong support, with several shopkeepers explaining that the brochures were taken rapidly and requesting more copies. In Marseille, further material was circulated in neighbourhoods where community demand for prevention tools has remained strong throughout the year.

Across all these regions, volunteers noticed recurring trends: parents looking for practical and trustworthy information, shopkeepers keen to contribute to community wellbeing, and young adults willing to share personal experiences or concerns. Many residents saw the materials as useful starting points for discussions in families or at work.

Reflecting on the recent activities, Ivan Arjona, the representative of the Church of Scientology to the European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and United Nations, highlighted the broader importance of these efforts:

“The growing participation of local communities shows how much people value factual and accessible prevention. When individuals receive clear information, they feel empowered to take responsibility for their families and their neighbourhoods. Effective prevention contributes not only to public health but also to the dignity and cohesion of our societies across Europe.”

These efforts align with the long-standing commitment of the Church of Scientology and its members to support education, drug prevention, human rights awareness and community improvement. Founded by L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s, Scientology is recognised as a religion in various European countries, and its churches, missions and affiliated groups take part in non-sectarian programmes designed to encourage informed decisions and safer communities. Recognition of these contributions continues to grow across the continent.

For additional information:

https://www.scientologyeurope.org/2025/11/20/volunteers-intensified-drug-prevention-france-october/

European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights

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