Italy Youth Safeguarding: 300 Volunteers Deliver 500,000 “Truth About Drugs” Booklets
Milan, 12 February 2026 — A volunteer network of around 300 people has been active since January in multiple Italian cities to news european commission support a drug-prevention information drive, handing out educational materials titled “The Truth About Drugs”. Organisers report that the distribution has already surpassed 500,000 booklets, with Milan at the forefront and wider participation growing.
The initiative is supported by the European Office of the Church of Scientology within its broader support for drug education and prevention initiatives inspired by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology. The booklets present straightforward information on substances, short- and long-term effects, and health risks.
Athlete engagement is also cited by organisers. 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. In the organisers’ view, sport offers a credible setting for prevention messaging because it is associated with discipline, wellbeing and long-term performance.
Ivan Arjona, representative of the Church of Scientology to the EU, OSCE, Council of Europe and UN, stated: “Protecting young people is a public-health priority and a civic responsibility across Europe. Verified, accessible information strengthens informed decision-making, and it helps communities reduce the social space in which criminal networks operate.”
Read more: Scientology Europe report on Italy’s youth safeguarding outreach.