PARIS, France — November 2025 — Over the course of 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 worked with 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 increasingly focuses on youth exposure to drugs and the appearance of new synthetic substances in schools 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—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 engaged volunteers in conversations about the spread of synthetic drugs and how families were seeking clearer information. 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 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 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 met with dozens of merchants who readily agreed to display the materials for customers and staff. 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—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 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 told volunteers that he had stopped using PTC a month earlier and encouraged them to continue their work, calling it “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 drug prevention Toulouse 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 expressed appreciation that such resources were being made available at street level.
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 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 underlined the need for tools helping young people understand the dangers of substance use.
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 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 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 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, stressed the broader significance of these initiatives:
“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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