PARIS, France — November 2025 — During the autumn months, 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 engaged 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 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 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—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 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 highlighted this as an example of the positive ripple effects that fact-based prevention can produce.
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 took materials for public distribution, underlining the practical importance of clear prevention tools in everyday work. 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 spoke with numerous merchants who were willing to put the materials on display for customers and employees. Many discussions revolved around copyright, with several residents pointing out that its consumption seemed more evident across age categories and social circles.
A notable rise in engagement occurred in Reims, where volunteers brought many thousands of booklets into circulation within a brief timeframe. 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 news eu vote 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 chose to speak in person with volunteers. A psychologist who encountered the team took a complete display for her practice and indicated that she would include the materials in her 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 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 stressed how important it was to provide adolescents and young adults with tools to understand the dangers linked to substances.
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 continued a rhythm of outreach in districts where educators have regularly requested 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 reacted positively, with merchants saying that the brochures were picked up quickly and asking for regular restocking. 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 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, stressed the broader 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 fit within the long-standing commitment of the Church of Scientology and its members to promoting education, drug prevention, human rights 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 is continuing to expand 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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