Scientology supports Czech Volunteers to spread the Truth to fight Drug Abuse and Addiction

Scientology supports Czech Volunteers to spread the Truth to fight Drug Abuse and Addiction
Drug education in Czech Republic

Scientology supports Drug-Free World Czech Volunteers to spread the truth to fight drug abuse and addiction

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, February 23, 2023 – Volunteers of the Czech chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World are working to lower demand by educating kids about drugs, cutting through the drug industry’s spin and providing them with the information they need to make their own judgments. Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence can help children and youth grow and stay healthy and safe, saving money in future health, social and crime costs.

The “human rights-based approach to drug policy” approved by the Council of Europe under the direction of the six-month Czech Presidency that ended on December 31, 2022, is spearheaded by volunteers of the Czech chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World. Demand reduction is emphasized as a key component of combating the drug problem in the Council’s drug policy. And for the past 20 years, this has been the primary goal of these Drug-Free World volunteers: to lower demand through educating kids about drugs.

Young people hear a lot about drugs from those who sell them. Former drug sellers admit they would have said anything to persuade people to purchase drugs.

But telling the truth cuts through the drug industry’s spin. The faces of young people attending Drug-Free World seminars are all you need to see to know that these volunteers are making an impact.

According to Vlastimil Špalek, the chairman of Drug-Free Czech Republic, “people are eager to test drugs as long as they think using drugs is a question of personal choice and don’t perceive the danger in them.” And as soon as they begin using, they get addicted. “Just telling teenagers not to use drugs is not sufficient advice. You must provide them with a means of gathering the information they need in order to draw their own judgments and decide whether or not to get involved with it”.

During the Cyclo-Run for a Drug-Free Czech Republic, which takes place every June, Špalek and his team bike and run around the nation’s towns and cities to spread the truth about drugs. 2023 marks this sporting event’s 20th anniversary. But throughout the year, the Drug-Free World volunteers are hard at work spreading the word using the Foundation’s Truth About Drugs materials. The students are affected by the drug education lectures that volunteers provide in schools and by the youth-oriented pamphlets and films. On a Scientology Network episode of Voices for Humanity, Špalek and his group are highlighted.

A teacher from the village of Vsetin who went to a Truth About Drugs presentation at her school said she had never seen or heard a talk on drugs that was so straightforward, effective, and honest. “We learned a lot of new and interesting things. Finally, a program that makes sense”. One of the lectures prompted a student to write, “Fascinating. I was captivated the whole time. And it was fun too.”

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, “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.”

A former scientist of the French CNRS, Dr. Christian Mirre, and who coordinates the Foundation for a Drug Free Europe, wrote in a recent article that “The young generations, in search of thrills, experiences and for recreational purposes have today easy access to a wide range of these illicit psychotropic drugs via dealers, shops and also on the web (the darknet)”, highlighting that prevention is the one possible solution.

L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, noted the part that substance misuse plays in the breakdown of society. He put it this way: “Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs.”

In order to tackle the problem of constantly shifting drug trends, Foundation for a Drug-Free World was established in 2006 to act as the main distributor of educational materials and to create new materials. The Foundation now has 200 chapters spread out over the globe. The Truth About Drugs secular program and materials are made available to drug educators all over the world without charge thanks to the sponsorship of the Church of Scientology and Scientologists.

Voices for Humanity is a Scientology Network original series of brief documentaries that introduce activists of different faiths, cultures, and countries as they provide assistance to their communities through Scientology-sponsored humanitarian activities.

The Scientology Network is accessible via Scientology.tv, mobile apps, the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms, as well as DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, and AT&T U-verse. Since its debut with a unique program starring Mr David Miscavige, the head of the Scientology church, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 nations and territories in 17 languages.

ScientologyEU Newsroom