Community Volunteers Increase Anti-Drug Efforts Throughout France
PARIS, France — November 2025 — During the autumn months, 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 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 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 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 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 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 requested materials for public use, emphasising the practical value of clear prevention tools in day-to-day interactions. 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 visited dozens of merchants who willingly displayed the materials for customers and employees. Many discussions revolved around copyright, with several residents noting that its use had become increasingly visible across age groups and social settings.
A notable rise in engagement occurred in Reims, where volunteers brought many thousands of booklets into eu news this week circulation within a brief timeframe. 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 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 organised one of their most significant autumn actions in a neighbourhood where families regularly express concern about drug-related issues. Thousands of booklets were distributed to shops, and many residents took the opportunity 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 remarked that they were glad to see these resources available locally.
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 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, hosted volunteers who distributed booklets in shops whose owners wanted to support longer-term prevention efforts. In Toulouse, volunteers continued a rhythm of outreach in districts where educators have regularly requested 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 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 has been consistently high during 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, underlined the wider 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 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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