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 engaged parents, educators, shopkeepers, young adults and health professionals seeking clear, reliable information about the risks associated with 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 expressed concern about early experimentation with drugs, while grassroots groups continue to fulfil an essential role in providing practical prevention at the community level. The Truth About Drugs programme—developed within the humanitarian legacy of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology—is built on factual and accessible materials designed to support 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 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 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 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 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 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, describing them as a practical way to begin preventive conversations. 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 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 continued a rhythm of outreach in districts where educators have regularly requested 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 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 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 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:
“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 news eu elections 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 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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