Helping Reverse Russia’s Runaway Drug Epidemic

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.

To help reverse these numbers and save the next generation, Scientologists have committed themselves to drug education and prevention activities throughout the country. Distributing The Truth About Drugs booklets, they encourage children to pledge to live drug-free lives with lectures, street events, concerts and sports activities. The Church of Scientology of Moscow organizes and hosts conferences, seminars and symposia to make inroads against the drug epidemic by bringing together civic leaders, nongovernmental organizations and religious groups in this common endeavor.

In June 2012, Scientologists organized a Drug-Free Russia Marathon to further the message of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. For 12 days, runners traveled from Moscow to nine nearby cities where they distributed 65,000 drug education booklets, provided 60 lectures to 2,000 children, organized concerts and street events, and helped more than 3,000 people pledge to live drug-free lives.

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 read a copy of the brochure, visit the Scientology website at 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. 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.