PRESS RELEASES
LOS ANGELES •
With 10 percent of teens surveyed admitting they abuse over the counter medications, the Truth About Drugs program, supported by the Church of Scientology, offers hope to stem problem
EUROPE •
With recent European financial cutbacks threatening to impact drug prevention in Europe, Scientologists found a creative way to effectively draw attention to the dangers of abuse
To promote drug education, Scientologists from France and Belgium joined forces in June 2012 in a transnational bicycle race in observance of the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA •
Rev. Nicholas Benson uses the Truth About Drugs to help “shadow people” recover from the slavery of addiction.
Residents of a halfway house in Pasadena, California, are making important strides toward recovery, thanks to Rev. Nicholas Benson and the Truth About Drugs drug education and prevention initiative.
Rev. Benson, senior pastor of the Summit Evangelical Free Church and President of the Ministerial Association of Pasadena and Altadena, took on managing a local halfway house nine years ago.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL •
The Center of Scientology of Israel spotlights drug prevention as an urgent priority
The Center of Scientology of Israel held an event on United Nations Universal Children’s Day where it released a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help, The Truth About Drug—Creating a Drug-Free World. City and national officials, community leaders and youth activists participated
TAIWAN •
With youth the target of Taiwan drug dealers, local Scientologists bring the Truth About Drugs educational initiative to schools throughout the country.
A review by the Ministry of Interior of Taiwan of illicit drug use points to “large-scale assaults by well-organized drug traders.” To develop their market, drug dealers have targeted the nation’s youth. “These perpetrators unceasingly induce youths into using drugs and eventually drug addiction by maintaining steady supply,” the analysis states.
JAPAN •
Concerns about rising drug use prompt Japanese Scientologists to double their drug education and prevention efforts
According to this year’s World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Japan has fewer drug users than most other countries.
But Japanese officials and national police are still concerned. In August, Naoto Takeuchi of Japan's National Police Agency expressed apprehension over “an alarming increase of drugs coming from North Korea” and how this could impact society.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA •
The Church of Scientology celebrates the season with a four-foot gingerbread replica of the historic Fort Harrison
Clearwater, Florida, boasts one of Pinellas County’s largest gingerbread houses, now open for viewing at the historic Fort Harrison. A month in the making, the gingerbread house is a scale replica of the fully restored 1926 iconic hotel, now the Fort Harrison religious retreat, from the 10th floor terrace to the front portico.
LONDON, ENGLAND •
With world attention on London Olympics, Scientologist leverages spotlight to focus attention on narcotics fight by distributing one million anti-drug booklets
RUSSIA •
Scientologists promote drug-free living to help keep Russia’s next generation from falling into the trap of drug addiction
In a November 2012 interview, Viktor Ivanov, Head of Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service, said that more than 100,000 people aged 15-35 died of drug abuse in Russia in 2011. An estimated 1.8 million Russian users inject drugs—the highest of any nation in the world. According to a United Nations study, Russia has the world’s highest per capita heroin use. And the majority of drug addicts are 16-30 years old.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA •
With painkiller abuse at epidemic levels, Truth About Drugs targets audiences with blunt messages about dangers of prescription drugs
In November 2011, the Centers for Disease Control Director Thomas Frieden told media: “Overdoses involving prescription painkillers are at epidemic levels and now kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined.”
VENEZUELA •
Scientologists spread drug education and prevention throughout the country based on the Truth About Drugs, described in new publication released November 13 by Church of Scientology and Scientologists
The Venezuela drug scene has senior citizens worried. According to the World Health Organization, drug abuse in the country has escalating by 30 percent in the last 10 years, with reports of children as young as nine consuming narcotics.
WASHINGTON, DC •
Community workers in nation’s capital attend Truth About Drugs seminar at Church of Scientology National Affairs Office.
Religious leaders and directors of community betterment foundations immersed themselves in drug prevention training in November at the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office in the newly restored Fraser Mansion in Washington, D.C.
GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA •
Inspired by tragedy, Scientologist tackles problem using hard-hitting Truth About Drugs curriculum featured in newly released brochure.
Kolaleh (Koko) Tabibzadeh and her husband chose Glendale, California, as a friendly, safe community in which to raise their family. In 2012, a newsflash changed her life.
FLORIDA •
New publication released November 13 describes drug education initiative supported by Church of Scientology and Scientologists such as Jim Mathers of Clearwater, Florida
Determined to put an end to drug abuse, Scientologist Jim Mathers is leveraging his personal and company resources to bring the truth about drugs to the community.
A licensed engineer, retired U.S. Navy officer and entrepreneur, Mathers is co-founder and president of an energy supply company. But he also devotes time to eradicate drugs through education.
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA •
Rev. Roberto Recillas reaches Southern California barrios with fact-based drug education
Rev. Roberto Recillas of Downey, California, knows the value of effective drug education. Founder and executive director of the I Believe in my Future initiative, he is dedicated to educating and inspiring children, parents and families to make a difference in their lives and the community.
NEW ZEALAND •
The Church of Scientology partners with the Maori Wardens of New Zealand to help slash drug use and possession offenses as much as 22 percent over two years.
Alarmed by soaring drug use in New Zealand, Rita Peters, Public Affairs Officer of the Church of Scientology of Auckland and coordinator of the Truth About Drugs drug education initiative, teamed with Maori Wardens to take action.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM •
Reacting to recent binge drinking incident that nearly took the lives of two boys, the Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for Europe mobilized volunteers, using drug education materials described in new publication released November 13.
“Say No to Drugs” volunteers from the Churches of Scientology of Europe in Brussels were quick to respond when they learned two children, ages 10 and 11, were hospitalized from alcohol-induced comas.
OCALA, FLORIDA •
Released November 13, 2012, a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help—the Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug Free World, describes the inroads made daily against drug abuse and addiction in cities around the world. This story of how the program helped a Florida high school student is typical of the program’s effectiveness.
UNITED KINGDOM •
Featured in the newly released brochure, British Scientologists carried out the largest anti-drug operation in history, organizing the distribution of one million Truth About Drugs booklets during the London 2012 Olympics.
If there were an Olympic event in drug education and prevention, London Scientologists would have taken gold. As people flocked to the Olympic and Paralympics July 27-September 9, they distributed 1 million copies of Truth About Drugs education booklets.
SOUTH LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA •
Church of Scientology Community Center commemorates its one-year anniversary November 5 with renewed commitment to create a Drug-Free South L.A.
Once known as South Central, and made famous by the lyrics of gangsta rap, South Los Angeles has risen from the ashes of the 1992 riots—determined, stronger, and committed to positive change. But the specter of drug abuse still threatens to ruin dreams, especially those of promising young people, and cut short efforts to build safe and prosperous neighborhoods.