Narconon New Life Retreat Sponsors Drug-Free Pledge for Red Ribbon Week

Earlier this month, a team from the Narconon New Life Retreat in Denham Springs, Louisiana set up a booth at the Livingston Parish Fair. They were there to pass out anti-drug educational pamphlets and DVDs, and to invite young people from across the region to sign a pledge to lead drug-free lives. This was reported on by ABC 13 news in Toledo, Ohio, and the story included the fact that around 300 children and teenagers took the Narconon drug-free pledge. This pledge begins: “I promise to stay away from drugs and alcohol and to testify to my friends the satisfaction of a sober life and help as best I can those who fall into the trap of addiction.” Countless thousands of young people have taken Narconon’s drug-free pledge over the years, and it is one of the most well-recognized aspects of the Narconon campaign to reduce the rates of substance abuse in the United States. Every one of the kids who signed the Narconon drug-free pledge is now less likely to make the serious mistake of deciding to try using drugs in the future, since they have now taken the time to understand and recite the wording of the pledge, an experience which can make the difference by getting the young person to consciously decide about where he or she stands on the issue of drugs.

Narconon frequently incorporates the drug-free pledge into its efforts at substance abuse prevention, whether at community events such as the Livingston Parish Fair, at major sporting events such as races at the world famous Laguna Seca Speedway, or when Narconon drug prevention specialists provide talks at local middle and high schools around the nation. The pledge is a simple one, created with the intention of being easy to understand for people of all ages, and as they go along Narconon staff and volunteers collect signatures on large boards which they can use to amass a long list of names. The longer they are at it during a particular event, the more it becomes clear that large numbers of young people are fully in agreement with the purpose and message of the Narconon drug-free pledge. Narconon has been getting young people to take the pledge for many years now, and based on the success they have enjoyed in doing so, they are likely to continue for years into the future.

Louisiana Narconon Educates the Public About Dangers of Drugs

In addition to the drug-free pledge, the team from the Narconon New Life Retreat also passed out several hundred copies of drug education pamphlets. These booklets are jam-packed with hard-hitting information about the dangers of substance abuse, details about how various types of drugs work, signs that a person may be using drugs, and facts that dispel common misconceptions about drugs. Many of these were distributed to parents and teachers who were on hand for the fair, and in addition to the booklets the team also passed out copies of educational videos, which can be used in the home, passed from person to person or show in a public venue such as in a classroom. These efforts were met with sincere appreciation on the part of many who visited the booth, who openly thanked the Narconon team for doing more than their part in the fight against drug abuse and addiction in Louisiana, a state which suffers from serious problems with substance abuse.

Just last year, Dr. Rochelle Dunham, the Louisiana state medical director over behavioral health was quoted as saying that it is vital to provide effective education about opiates including heroin and the prescription painkillers which have become so common across the country. The Louisiana Narconon team did their part to provide this education, and to make a difference in the lives of a few hundred children and teenagers this past month, and they will look for any and every opportunity to keep doing so in the future.