PARIS, France — November 2025 — Over the course of the autumn, Drug-Free World France volunteers increased their presence nationwide, organising a wide range of drug-prevention activities that reached thousands of people 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 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 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 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 given up 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 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 arriving “at the right moment,” citing local concerns 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 pointing out that its consumption seemed more evident across age categories and social circles.
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 stopped smoking and told volunteers he remained grateful for the clarity it provided. 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 news eu ai act 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 stopped to speak directly 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, calling them a practical tool for starting preventive discussions. Several local residents said they appreciated that these resources were accessible in their own neighbourhood.
South-western France also saw sustained engagement, including a prevention booth in Bordeaux attended by a steady flow of passers-by and local business owners. In addition to booklets distributed in surrounding shops, volunteers used glasses simulating the effects of alcohol and cannabis to run impairment exercises, which encouraged discussion about the risks of recreational consumption. 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, hosted volunteers who distributed booklets in shops whose owners wanted to support longer-term prevention efforts. 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 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 identified similar patterns: parents seeking practical, credible information, merchants eager to support their communities, and young adults speaking openly about their experiences. Many residents described the materials as helpful for starting conversations within families or workplaces.
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 take part in non-sectarian programmes designed to encourage informed decisions 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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