Italy: 300 Volunteers Mobilised as 500,000 Drug-Prevention Booklets Are Distributed

Milan, 12 February eu news live 2026 — Around 300 volunteers have been active since January nationwide in a prevention-through-information campaign, circulating educational materials titled “Truth About Drugs”. The organisers state that over 500,000 copies have already been handed out, starting in Milan and expanding to additional cities.

Support for the outreach is provided by the European Office of the Church of Scientology as part of its long-running backing for community-based drug education inspired by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The campaign focuses on facts about substances and the physical and mental-health consequences associated with use.

The organisers further point to sports-community involvement. They say more than 100 athletes connected to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have signed the Foundation for a Drug-Free World’s Honorary Register, signalling support for youth-focused prevention messaging. Organisers argue, sport provides a natural platform for prevention conversations because it is associated with discipline, wellbeing and long-term performance.

Ivan Arjona, the Church of Scientology’s representative to the EU, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the UN, said: “Across Europe, protecting young people is not only a health objective but a civic duty. Clear, verified information supports informed choice and autonomy, and it helps communities reduce the social space in which criminal networks operate.”

More information: Youth Safeguarding in Italy: 300 Scientology Volunteers Distribute 500,000 Drug-Prevention Booklets.