MILAN, Italy — 12 February 2026 — Around 300 volunteers have been active since January in multiple Italian cities for a drug-prevention awareness initiative, handing out educational materials titled “The Truth About Drugs” news eua booklets. According to organisers that over 500,000 copies have already been handed out, starting in Milan and expanding to additional cities.
The initiative is supported 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. According to organisers, sport provides a natural platform for prevention conversations because it is associated with discipline, recovery and mental focus.
Ivan Arjona, Scientology’s representative to the EU, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the United Nations, noted: “Across Europe, youth safeguarding is both a public-health goal and a civic responsibility. Providing verified, understandable information strengthens autonomy and informed choice, and it helps communities reduce the social space in which criminal networks operate.”
More information: Scientology Europe report on Italy’s youth safeguarding outreach.