Narconon Participates in Drug Prevention Activities

October was National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, an annual event sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Across the nation, organizations held events and engaged in activities aimed at the goal of raising awareness of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, and the month was ushered in with a proclamation issued by President Obama. Among the large number of organizations which took part in National Substance Abuse Prevention Month this year were the many Narconon drug rehab centers located across the United States.

Two of these were the Narconon New Life Retreat, in Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Narconon Fresh Start in Southern California. “The welcome our drug prevention specialists received was enthusiastic in both these locations,” said Narconon International’s President. “At the street fair [in Louisiana], our staff were visited by political candidates, a local pastor and the leader of a youth group. In Southern California, our drug education specialists are invited back again and again. Many people realize how serious the drug problem is and appreciate our efforts to get young people to commit to a drug-free life.”

Narconon Louisiana Spreads Anti-Drug Literature

At the street fair to which the President referred, the Livingston Parish fair, a team from the Narconon New Life Retreat set up a booth where they made contact with several hundred people from the community and passed out drug educational literature. They also distributed several copied of educational DVDs to parents and educators who were interested to use this powerful tool for educating young people about why they should say no to drugs. In addition to passing out booklets and DVDs, the New Life Retreat team also invited children and teenagers to sign the Narconon drug-free pledge, and they ended up with around 300 signatures on the boards.

The pledge calls on young people to not only avoid drugs in their own lives, but also to educate themselves about how drugs really harm people, educate their friends about this, and set a good example of drug-free living. The time at the Livingston Parish fair was time well spent, since for every one of the hundreds of people who were contacted by Narconon, there is the potential for many more people to receive the message of prevention through the literature or as a result of the drug-free pledge.

Narconon Fresh Start’s Educational Campaign

Southern California is an epicenter for Narconon activities, between the fact that Narconon International has its headquarters in Los Angeles, and there are several Narconon centers located throughout the western region. This month, organizations in the area ramped up their activities, and they were on pace to reach 10,000 children by the end of Prevention Month. Drug prevention specialists from Narconon Fresh Start visited schools across Southern California, delivering lectures to students, with the goal of reducing the rates of substance abuse through preventative education. This program has proven to be very effective, as described by Narconon Fresh Start education director Tony Bylsma. “We tabulate the results of every feedback survey we receive.

“Eighty percent of our students say they have learned new information about drugs and about half say that this information changed the way they think about drug use. Nearly all of them feel they can put this information to good use, either for themselves or for their friends.” The above are only two examples of the kinds of activities that Narconon staff and volunteers were engaged in for Prevention Month, and they also offer a glimpse into the type of work that Narconon does throughout the year to support the cause of preventing drug abuse and addiction.