Drug-Free South Building a Future for Kids Across Tennessee

Active in drug education and prevention throughout the year, the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World is planning a mass distribution effort in honor of United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is leading the global campaign to raise awareness about the major challenge that illicit drugs represent to society as a whole, and especially to the young. The goal of the campaign is to mobilize support and inspire people to act against drug use, according to unodc.org. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World has as a goal to educate children and youth across the world to effectively prevent the demand for drugs, so the two campaigns go hand in hand. Every year, the Foundation holds events that tie into the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which occurs on June 26 and this year will be no different.

In Tennessee, the Foundation plans to distribute booklets throughout North and South Nashville, with a focus on reaching young people. 

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was created by the UN General Assembly in December 1987 to encourage all sectors of society to work together to tackle drug abuse and addiction. Rev. Brian Fesler who coordinates the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation said, “We are committed to bringing the truth about drugs to everyone.  When youth know what they are really getting into, they have a chance to avoid a lot of pain and suffering.” Fesler says it can’t be done in a day and his organization is committed to working continuously to curb the drug epidemic. “We will go to anyone, anywhere in the region to spread the Truth About Drugs message,” he says, referring to the educational component of the program.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World provides an educational curriculum for students designed to give all of the basic facts of how drugs affect the body and mind, common street names and more. In Tennessee, volunteers travel to schools and give lectures to students on these materials and provide more information for teachers to use after they’ve gone.

To learn more, order booklets or schedule a visit to your school, group or congregation, visit drugfreesouth.org.