New Publication Provides the Key to Creating a Drug-Free World
November 28, 2012

Already one of the world’s largest and most effective non-governmental drug information and prevention initiatives, the Church of Scientology’s Truth About Drugs programme is set to reach millions more with the release of a new publication, Scientology: How We Help—the Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug-Free World.

The new publication was launched at a community gathering hosted at the Nga Whare Waatea Marae Rainbow room where Mangere Maori Warden, Thomas Henry opened the meeting.

“We have been using the Church of Scientology’s Truth About Drugs materials for six years now and we can see the results in our area,” Thomas said. “South Auckland’s drug crimes have dropped by as much as 20 percent in the previous year and we know these booklets are making the difference.”
In 2006 Mereana Peka, manager of the marae, was introduced to the Truth About Drugs education booklets and immediately saw their potential and got behind the programme launching the new campaign from her former role as a Maori Warden working in Otara. She still supports the campaign today and spoke at the hui saying she had seen the help these materials bring to people who are affected by drug addiction.

“My son one example of a person now living a drug-free life after reading these booklets. So I have much to thank the Church of Scientology for and how they have made this material available,” Mereana said.

The New Zealand Maori Wardens and numerous community and church groups around the country have helped distribute over 450,000 Truth About Drugs booklets over the past year alone. There are now six Drug-Free Ambassador drug education centres operating from Rotorua, New Plymouth, Northland and West and South Auckland.

“We have been able to reach some of the most drug-ridden areas in the country with this campaign and the support of many caring community groups who are concerned about the drug epidemic,” said Rita Peters, the Church of Scientology’s community affairs coordinator, who also spoke at the event.

The Church has sponsored drug education around the world over the past 25 years, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that Scientologists in Europe started producing a series of youth-oriented booklets containing straight facts on the dangers of drugs that the programme started really taking off. The booklets were in such high demand the Church undertook to publish them internationally and this resulted in the distribution of millions of booklets, fliers and posters throughout communities around the world.

“We have drawn on 25 years of experience to create a programme that solves the problem of effectively communicating the reality of drug abuse to teens and young adults. This makes it possible for young people to make their own decisions, uninfluenced by peer pressure and pro-drug propaganda,” Rita said.
The twelve Truth About Drugs booklets target the most commonly used street drugs and drugs of choice. There is also a DVD that documents how these drugs have affected the lives of users as they tell their stories now they have recovered from drug addiction. The film Real People Real Stories, The Truth About Drugs complements the booklets and is part of the drug education package.

The Church of Scientology’s Truth About Drugs drug education and prevention campaign is a secular programme that anyone can become involved in. The results show that when young people are provided with factual information on what drugs are and what they do, usage rates drop commensurately.

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.”
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