Church of Scientology Inglewood Hosts Truth About Drugs Seminar
Young Latino community leaders were empowered to help their community through the Truth About Drugs education and prevention program supported by the Church of Scientology.
The Church of Scientology Inglewood hosted a Truth About Drugs seminar for Latino youths January 26. Organized by Dr. Manuel Tigerino, President of the Latin University of Theology in Inglewood, California, the program was conducted by Rev. Roberto Recillas, Executive Director of I Believe in My Future Initiative (IBF).
Concerned about the proliferation of drug abuse and its destructive effects in the community, Dr. Tigerino put out a call for young people who are taking a leadership role in their areas to attend the seminar. More than 130 responded, filling the Chapel of the Church of Scientology of Inglewood to capacity.
Guest speakers Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Inglewood Planning Commissioner George Dotson and Lt. J. Torres of the Inglewood Police Department, encouraged the youth to put what they learned to good use to help their friends, families and the community.
Dr. Tigerino wanted to provide these young people with effective prevention tools, so the seminar was based on the Truth About Drugs, the drug education program supported by the Church of Scientology. Seminar leader Rev. Recillas, who trained on the Truth About Drugs curriculum in 2011 through a special initiative of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Multi-Faith Clergy Council, has been conducting Truth About Drugs seminars and training fellow ministers and community leaders ever since.
The seminar covered the realities of drugs abuse and the short- and long-term effects of substances such as marijuana, crystal meth, crack cocaine, LSD, inhalants and prescription drugs.
The presentation featured the “They Said—They Lied” public service announcements, which expose the most commonly held myths about drugs, and Recillas gave each attendee a set of the 13 Truth About Drugs booklets. There were many discussions, where the young people shared their experiences and exchanged their ideas of how they could put the information they learned to use.
Recillas walked them through the Truth About Drugs booklets and video resources and how to use these tools with their friends. He was then joined by Dr. Tigerino in presenting each attendee with a Truth About Drugs certificate.
“I was impressed with the enthusiasm of the participants in their desire to help others stay away from drugs,” said Juan Bogan, Executive Director of the Church of Scientology of Inglewood, “We are proud to make our chapel and seminar rooms, and our South Los Angeles Community Center, available to community groups for programs like this, and to work together with other religions and community organizations to help our community.”
The Church of Scientology has published a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help—The Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug-Free World, to meet requests for more information about the drug education and prevention initiative it supports. To learn more or to read a copy of the brochure, visit scientology.org/antidrug.
Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”
The Church of Scientology supports the Truth About Drugs, one of the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns, and Scientologists on five continents volunteer year-round to make this program broadly available. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.