In Support of U.N. Drug Awareness Day, Scientology Churches Call for Unity in Eradicating World Drug Epidemic
San Diego (PRWEB) June 26, 2006
At a time when illegal drug trafficking generates as much money as the oil industry — upwards of 0 billion a year internationally — and America’s taxpayers now pay more than 0 billion as a consequence of illicit drug consumption, Scientologists are dramatically stepping up their two-decade-long efforts to tackle the spread of drug abuse at its source. Leaders of the Church of Scientology International’s “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life” campaign are calling upon community leaders and concerned citizens to join initiatives organized in major cities around the world in observance of the United Nations’ International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Monday, June 26.
“Drug abuse is ruining our culture,” said David Meyer, coordinator of the “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life” campaign in San Diego. “Overcoming this scourge requires real drug education — actual direction that makes it clear to people everywhere exactly what drugs do to their bodies and minds. Effective drug education at all levels of society can and will bring about drug abuse prevention.”
The UN’s international drug awareness day has a number of outspoken supporters in the Scientology community. Actress Priscilla Presley, in her June 3rd presentation at the opening of the world’s newest Narconon* drug rehabilitation center in Michigan (USA), stated, “In a few days it will be international drug awareness day. I look forward to a time when every day is such an awareness day, and the problems of drug addiction are in the past. We all know someone — whether it be a family member, a friend or a co-worker — who struggles with drugs or alcohol. A good first step for all of us to take in helping those we love is to get ourselves educated — then we can reach out and truly help them.”
Scientologists do not use street drugs nor any of the dangerous mind-altering substances pushed as a solution to everything from stress to being overweight. “Amid this sea of chemical maskings to the problems of living, Scientologists have increased their educational campaigns to help people stay or become drug-free**,” said Mr. Meyer. “With 200 million drug abusers globally — and billions more at risk — it’s time to take drug education to an entirely new level that will reverse this trend.”
In early 1987 — the same year the UN General Assembly instituted the international drug awareness day — the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology International initiated its “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life” campaign in Italy. Soon thereafter, the Church’s European effort expanded into a worldwide pledge-signing endeavor, wherein people young and old sign a commitment to live their lives drug-free. From this, a “Lead the Way to a Drug-free USA” program evolved in the United States. In April 1993, that campaign expanded with the launch of the “Drug Free Marshals,” a program that educates children and youth about the dangers of drugs and challenges them to remain drug-free and to set a good example for their friends and family members.
In the last decade, as part of their “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life” campaign, Scientology churches worldwide have printed and distributed more than 8.3 million informational brochures laying out the facts about drugs. The educational effort has also included more than 280,000 drug awareness billboards and posters, 48 million fliers, 89,000 public awareness events, and 10,200 newspaper and television stories promoting drug-free living. To date more than 3.2 million people have signed the pledge for drug-free living — a figure the Churches’ stepped-up efforts will vastly expand in 2006, says Mr. Meyer.
To learn more about these anti-drug activities and the “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life” events in San Diego, contact David Meyer at 619-239-2091 or my email at PresidentCOSSD @ Hotmail.Com.
Narconon programs, based on the drug rehabilitation and prevention discoveries of L. Ron Hubbard, operate in more than 40 countries around the world.) ** Scientologists are not opposed to the use of medical drugs, including antibiotics, for the treatment of physical conditions.
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