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 worked with 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 increasingly focuses on youth exposure to drugs and the appearance of new synthetic substances in schools 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—promotes factual and accessible materials as a foundation for informed decisions and responsible choices.
In early October, volunteers in Brittany moved through a network of small shops, cafés and local businesses, distributing over a thousand Truth About Drugs booklets in areas where merchants showed 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 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 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 brought volunteers into contact with pharmacists, local officials, 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 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 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 observing that its use was becoming more visible among different age groups and social environments.
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 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 community drug prevention 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, saying the booklets offered a practical basis for initiating preventive conversations. Several local residents remarked that they were glad to see these resources available locally.
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 completed impairment-simulation exercises using glasses that mimic the effects of alcohol or cannabis, prompting discussions about the risks associated with recreational consumption. 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 maintained regular outreach in areas where educators frequently request 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 included several hundred booklets distributed in Belfort, where a social-housing employee requested a full box of inhalant-gas booklets to share directly with families he knew 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 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, 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 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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