Across Europe, to celebrate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (26 June), many drug prevention activities were organized by the European Say No To Drugs Teams of volunteers in the main cities, towns and villages of their respective countries. The purpose was a preventive alert to the youth but also to the parents and anyone on the health harming not to say health destructive effects of drug use. The actions undertaken by our volunteers also fit with the 2023 year theme: “People first: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention”. Here after, an overview of these drug prevention and education actions done across Europe.
The Czech Republic did their 19th Cyclo-run for a Drug-Free Czech Republic. Starting from Prague, biking some 1300 Kms in 10 days, through 41 cities, they had the opportunity to enlighten 50 city representatives about the drug situation concerning the teenagers and the urgent need of a primary drug prevention and education. Some 8100 children were educated and 95,000 drug information materials from The Truth About Drugs were distributed all along. The leaders were also invited at the arrival on 26 June, to present their action on the national TV Nova:
France: All the volunteers of the French Dites Non à la Drogue – Oui à la Vie, a non-profit association, were very active in Agen, Angers, Avignon, Chatelaudren, Epinay-sur-Seine, Lannion, Lyon, Maffliers, Marseille, Tregastel, Ploumanach, Perros-Guirec, Vaux-en-Velin and more!
Whether in the streets, shops, pharmacies, everywhere, they were always welcomed for their actions including by the police and even by a drug addict! And a public lecture had been done by the Paris’ team.
In Belgium the members and volunteers of the Say No To Drugs Belgium association after having set up their booth on markets or places in several towns, did a well attended public lecture in Brussels on “The Truth About Drugs” in the Auditorium of the Churches of Scientology for Europe.
And on the very 26 June the President had been interviewed on the radio Arabel of Brussels about the importance of such day and on what the public has to know about the drugs.
In Lisbon (Portugal) the team had a big distribution near the famous Belem Tower erected in 1515 on the Tage river to protect the city, and to celebrate the navigator Vasco de Gama who opened the Portugal-India route between 1497 and 1498.
This very touristic place was a good choice to reach and inform the public including the visitors about the subsequent health related problems related to the drug use.
The Drug prevention Dico No Alla Droga-Bergamo team (Italy) to promote a drug free Italy had organized its 6th Motogiro. The motobikers with their green jackets drived a long way going through the Passo di Zembla (1264m) reaching Lovere and then along the Iseo Lake via Riva di Solto. 
After a beautiful and picturesque run of 4hrs, they ended in Sale Marasino where they were welcomed by the President of the association, officials and sponsors and supporters. 
In Austria, the “Sag Nein Zu Drogen team of Vienna had set up their information stand on the course of the Donauinselfest at the U6 station Neue Donau.
The volunteers had been amazed by the great interest of the young people to get the drug educational brochures from the series The Truth About Drugs. And the proposed bracelets “Say No To Drugs – Say Yes to Life” were a big hit among the people including a social worker, counsellor on addiction problems.
In Switzerland, to celebrate the World Day on Drugs, everything started with the 6th Olympiades in Chapelle (Fribourg) with briefings on drugs and games with some 40 participants.
Then, the team of volunteers of Geneva held a drug information stand at the Cornavin station, the Team of Lausanne distributed 800 booklets The Truth About Drugs in the center of the city. Meanwhile another distribution was done at the Fribourg station.
In the South of Switzerland, the canton of Ticino is well kown for its Lake Maggiore (in the northern part) and the Lake Lugano (in the southern part). The Dico No alla Droga Team had been also very active, distributing and informing people on the harmful effects of drug use.
All the passers-by being youngsters, parents and the public at large liked the initiative and thanked the teams for their actions.
In Germany (Stuttgart), famous among others for its Schlossplatz and the huge City Library of the Mailänder Platz (one of the most modern in Europe), the team of volunteers went in direct contact with the public, distributing and providing them all the needed and often unknown data regarding the drugs, including the cannabis which is currently in the country at the center point of the debate on legalisation.
A wise 13th century sentence says: “It is better and more useful to meet a problem in time than to seek a remedy after the damage is done”.
Thank you for reading and interest
