Drugs are more than just another social problem. Some 210 million people—at all levels of society—consume illegal drugs. Almost 200,000 die from drugs each year.

The greatest toll is on the young. Every 12 seconds another school-age child experiments with illicit drugs for the first time. Drug use in this age group has risen steadily throughout the past decade and children are exposed to drugs at younger and younger ages.

Drawing on 25 years of experience in drug prevention, the Truth About Drugs program has solved the problem of effectively communicating to teens and young adults the reality of drug abuse, individually and through mass communication.

Both experience and surveys show that teens and young adults are most likely to listen to their peers. Thus the core message is provided by young people—some of whom have gone down the path of addiction and survived to tell the story—who speak to other young people in booklets, public service announcements and a documentary film.

The effectiveness of The Truth About Drugs booklets led to a series of public service announcements, “They Said, They Lied.” with strong depictions of the destructive effects of the most prevalent drugs, the 16 PSAs are contemporary, high-impact communications aimed directly at youth.

These messages can effectively deter first-time drug use and form a vital component of the Truth About Drugs program.

At the center of the Truth About Drugs educational program is a 100-minute documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories, focusing on each of the 11 most commonly abused substances.

The film presents the facts: what makes a drug a drug, what each does to the mind and body and where they all lead.

To increase the program’s availability still further, a comprehensive, interactive drug education resource center—DrugFreeWorld.org—provides the full range of information and materials, all available for viewing, downloading or ordering online.

Organized volunteer actions across some 180 countries have resulted in the distribution of 50 million drug prevention booklets and tens of thousands of community drug awareness activities.

The impact in preventing drug use is significant. Those who are informed can resist peer pressure and choose for themselves to never start drugs in the first place.

The Church of Scientology International Dissemination and Distribution Center in Los Angeles, California, stands at the heart of the global humanitarian initiatives supported by Churches of Scientology and Scientologists. In addition to generating dissemination materials for the more than 10,000 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups worldwide, the center produces educational materials for all Church-sponsored humanitarian programs.

The most effective weapon in combating drugs and drug abuse is education. Churches of Scientology and their members have worked in concert with like-minded groups and individuals to bring about a significant change in the global drug problem.

Because of the effectiveness of the educational materials and the impact of the program’s activities wherever it is implemented, the Truth About Drugs campaign commands the respect and support of teachers, health instructors, school counselors, police officers, community leaders, government officials, students and parents.