Helping Combat Drug Abuse in Valencia

Volunteers from the Church of Scientology Mission of Valencia in Spain reach out with the Truth About Drugs initiative to raise awareness of the effects of drug abuse, call attention to drug issues affecting the region, and promote a positive, drug-free lifestyle.

LOS ANGELES, July 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Volunteers gathered at the Church of Scientology Mission of Valencia to launch a drug education initiative to tackle an urgent issue affecting their city. They reached out with drug prevention booklets to inform people of the unvarnished facts about the most commonly abused drugs. The importance of this campaign in Valencia cannot be overstated.

Valencia, Spain, is a major entry point for narcotics into Europe, especially from Latin America and North Africa. In one major drug bust in 2022, 5.5 tons of cocaine were confiscated, highlighting the city's critical role in international trafficking networks. One consequence is that large quantities of cocaine are available on the streets, driving down the price of the drug, not only making it easier for users to access it, but also for pushers to cultivate new users. 

"Drug production, trafficking, and use continue to exacerbate instability and inequality, while causing untold harm to people's health, safety and well-being," said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in releasing the 2024 World Drug Report in June. She also emphasized the importance of "investing much more in prevention."

According to the UNODC, "Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs." 

Foundation for a Drug-Free World was formed in 2006 to serve as a primary distributor of educational materials and to develop new materials to meet the challenge of continually changing drug trends. The Foundation has grown to a network of some 200 chapters around the world.

Thanks to the support of the Church of Scientology and Scientologists, the Foundation provides the Truth About Drugs secular program and materials free of charge to drug educators worldwide. They are inspired in doing so by the research of humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs."

To learn more, visit the website of Foundation for a Drug-Free World, take their online drug education course, or watch documentaries on the Scientology Network featuring changemakers from all faiths, cultures, and nations who extend help to their communities through this campaign.

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SOURCE Church of Scientology International