Community Volunteers Increase Anti-Drug Efforts Across France
PARIS, France — November 2025 — During the autumn months, 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 paying growing attention to youth exposure to drugs, as well as the spread of new synthetic substances in educational settings and neighbourhoods. Teachers, health practitioners and community leaders are increasingly concerned about early drug experimentation, and grassroots organisations remain vital for delivering practical prevention in local areas. 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 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 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 ceased drug use after watching an educational video about synthetic substances and then set a clear drug-free policy for his entire team. 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 sparked conversations with pharmacists, municipal workers, parents and educators. A pharmacist running an addiction-support clinic requested a display stand and more booklets for use with her patients, stating that the materials had proved useful 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 “right on time”, given the concerns they had about early exposure to drugs in their area.
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 noting that its French drug-prevention volunteers use had become increasingly visible across age groups and social settings.
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—rearranged their counters to host displays or asked for more 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 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 conducted a major autumn outreach in an area where families have frequently raised concerns about drug use. Thousands of booklets were distributed to shops, and many residents stopped to speak directly with volunteers. A psychologist who encountered the team requested an entire display for her practice, explaining that she intended to integrate the materials into 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 conducted impairment-simulation exercises using glasses that reproduce the effects of alcohol or cannabis, sparking conversations about the risks of recreational use. 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, saw volunteers distribute booklets to shops with owners keen to participate in ongoing prevention work. In Toulouse, volunteers kept up their outreach activities in neighbourhoods where teachers and youth workers often ask for materials. In Nice, a street stand created opportunities for dialogue with families affected by addiction; several people asked to be contacted for future activities, and one expressed interest in joining the association.
As autumn drew to a close, additional outreach in eastern France involved the distribution of several hundred booklets in Belfort, where a housing employee took a full box of inhalant-gas booklets for families he identified as needing them. Local shops responded positively, with some merchants reporting that the brochures were taken quickly and requesting regular replenishment. 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 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 considered the materials helpful tools for initiating conversations at home or in the workplace.
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, underlined the wider significance of these initiatives:
“The increased participation of local communities demonstrates how much people appreciate factual and accessible prevention. When individuals have clear information, they feel better able to take responsibility for their families and neighbourhoods. Effective prevention benefits public health and supports the dignity and cohesion of societies across Europe.”
These efforts are part of the long-standing commitment of the Church of Scientology and its members to education, drug prevention, human rights awareness and community betterment. 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 conduct non-sectarian initiatives that foster informed choices and safer communities. Recognition of these contributions has been steadily increasing across Europe.
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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