It’s more important than ever to reach youth with the truth about drugs before they begin to experiment with harmful substances
Héloïse is a drug education volunteer from the Dites Non à La Drogue (Say No to Drugs) Association in Vaud, a French-speaking canton of Switzerland. The mother of two teenagers, she believes it is urgent to reach kids before they begin to experiment with drugs, and she is doing something about it. She uses the Foundation for a Drug-Free World’s drug education initiative to give presentations to young people.
“Some 29 percent of Swiss boys and 19 percent of girls say they have already tried using cannabis by the time they are 15,” she says.
In her drug education presentations, she uses the Foundation’s Truth About Drugs booklet on marijuana. Kids see how using or continuing to use the drug can make it difficult or impossible for them to achieve their goals. The drug can cause memory problems, anxiety and panic attacks. Because it can also lower IQ and school performance, it increases the likelihood of dropping out. Even more concerning is that one study found kids who use marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than kids who do not. And this is particularly worrisome with recent reports of an increase in cocaine abuse in Vaud.
Addiction Switzerland’s deputy director reports: “Since 2022, Switzerland has experienced a flood of concentrated and cheap cocaine. Part of this product is sold as crack. People can be seen openly taking drugs in several cantons. Geneva is the hardest hit.”
But Héloïse is optimistic.
She always looks forward to spending time with young people and sharing and
discussing information on these and other harmful and addictive drugs. “The more youth we can inform, the more we can prevent from falling into the trap,” she says.
And she likes nothing
better than when kids who have experimented with drugs come up after a lecture
to confide in her and tell her they’ve decided never to use them again.
Scientology Churches and Scientologists support the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, whose materials are provided free of charge to schools, civic groups, governments, law enforcement, and individuals and institutions in the private sector. The Truth About Drugs program is inspired by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s research, finding that “the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs.”
To learn more, take the free drug education course on the Foundation for a Drug-Free World website, watch the Drug-Free World public service announcements and The Truth About Drugs—Real People, Real Stories documentary on the Scientology Network, and episodes of Voices for Humanity to see the program in action. The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.
For more information or to get involved, visit the Drug-Free World website, or contact the nearest Church of Scientology.
