Grassroots Teams Increase Anti-Drug Efforts Nationwide in France
PARIS, France — November 2025 — Throughout 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 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 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 stopped consuming drugs after watching an educational video on synthetic substances and had subsequently communicated a drug-free workplace expectation to his entire youth drug prevention 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 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 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 met with dozens of merchants who readily agreed to display the materials for customers and staff. 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 distributed tens of thousands of booklets over a short period. 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 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 said he 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 took the opportunity to speak directly 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, describing them as a practical way to begin preventive conversations. Several local residents said they appreciated that these resources were accessible in their own neighbourhood.
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 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 highlighted the importance of offering adolescents and young adults tools to understand substance-related dangers.
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 maintained regular outreach in areas where educators frequently request materials. In Nice, a street stand allowed for conversations with families dealing with addiction, and a number of people asked to be kept informed about future activities, with one person expressing 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, 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 are part of the long-standing commitment of the Church of Scientology and its members to education, drug prevention, human rights awareness and community betterment. 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
Calle Santa Catalina 7, 28014 Madrid, Spain