At the annual Royal Run in Copenhagen, volunteers from the Church of Scientology of Denmark promote an active healthy lifestyle free of drug abuse and addiction
As record numbers, including Denmark’s King
They were enthusiastic about the results they accomplished that day.
“We had so much positive feedback,” said the campaign coordinator. “We handed a booklet to a teacher, who came back to talk to the volunteer and asked for 50 copies to give to her teenage students. Two others stopped their car to ask the volunteers for booklets to give to their friends who use drugs. Parents took the booklets and immediately started reading them to their children. So many people came by to thank us for what we are doing. There were stories like this throughout the day.”
Although Denmark has fewer drug problems than many European countries according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), young people throughout the continent “now have access to an increasingly wide range of substances and are using them in combination with alcohol.” What’s more, Euronews reports Danish teens as young as 12 are experimenting with and getting hooked on highly addictive and dangerous painkillers.
Drug-Free World volunteers are “racing” to reach youth before the dealers do. Young people presented with the facts about drugs are far more likely not to use them. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, states: “For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs.”
Noting the role substance abuse plays in the disintegration of the social fabric, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs.”
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, it provides the Truth About Drugs secular program and materials free of charge to anyone wishing to take action to address this urgent issue.
For more information or to take the Foundation’s free online drug education course, visit drugfreeworld.org/course/.
The Scientology Network’s original series, Voices for Humanity, shows the campaign in action with short documentaries that introduce changemakers of all faiths, cultures, and nations who use this and other humanitarian programs to better their communities and society. To learn more about the Church of Scientology of Denmark, visit their website or watch Destination: Scientology—Copenhagen on the Scientology Network.
