PARIS, France — November 2025 — Throughout the autumn, Drug-Free World France volunteers stepped up their presence throughout France, delivering numerous drug-prevention initiatives 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 involved parents, educators, shopkeepers, young adults and health professionals interested in clear, trustworthy information about the risks of narcotics and synthetic drugs. ((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 expressed concern about early experimentation with drugs, while grassroots groups continue to fulfil an essential role in providing practical prevention at the community level. The Truth About Drugs programme—developed within the humanitarian legacy of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology—puts forward factual and accessible materials as a basis for informed decision-making and responsible choices.
In early October, volunteers in Brittany went to small shops, cafés and businesses across the region, supplying more than a thousand Truth About Drugs booklets, with merchants expressing interest and appreciation. Several shop owners discussed with volunteers the spread of synthetic substances and the need for clearer information for families. One volunteer recounted that a restaurant employer in the region had previously stopped consuming drugs after watching an educational video on synthetic substances and had subsequently communicated a drug-free workplace expectation to his entire staff. The volunteer presented this as an example of how fact-based prevention can trigger positive changes.
As the month progressed, additional outreach in western France led to further conversations involving pharmacists, municipal staff, parents and teachers. A pharmacist running an addiction-support clinic requested a display and extra materials for her patients, noting that she had used the booklets successfully the year before. A law-enforcement representative in the area also obtained materials for use with the public, stressing the usefulness of clear prevention tools in eu news 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 met with dozens of merchants who readily agreed to display the materials for customers and staff. 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 managed to distribute many thousands of booklets in a relatively short time. Shopkeepers of all types—from boutiques to larger retail outlets—made space for displays or requested additional stock. 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 given up smoking and told volunteers he was still grateful for the clear information. 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 explained that he had quit using PTC one month before and urged them to keep going, describing their work as “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 chose to speak in person 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, saying the booklets offered a practical basis for initiating preventive conversations. Several local residents said they appreciated that these resources were accessible in their own neighbourhood.
South-western France also saw sustained engagement, with a prevention booth in Bordeaux that attracted a steady stream of passers-by and local shopkeepers. 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 maintained regular outreach in areas where educators frequently request 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 continued to be strong across the year.
Across all these regions, volunteers identified similar patterns: parents seeking practical, credible information, merchants eager to support their communities, and young adults speaking openly about their experiences. 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:
“What we see in these activities is that local communities truly value factual and accessible prevention. When people are provided with clear information, they feel empowered to take responsibility for their families and their neighbourhoods. In this way, effective prevention supports public health as well as 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 carry out non-sectarian initiatives that encourage informed choices 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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