Drug Overdose Awareness Day Brings Drug-Free World to Clearwater Beach

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Sept. 5, 2024 - PRLog -- This Sunday, August 31^st, the Drug-Free World Florida Chapter participated in International Drug Overdose Awareness Day by bringing the Truth About Drugs booklets to Clearwater Beach, along with a pledge for beach-goers to live a drug-free life. 20 volunteers distributed more than 1,500 booklets and collected 126 signatures.

"The latest statistics from the Florida Department of Health showed there were more than 100,000 non-fatal drug overdoses in a 12-month period in Florida," said Stephanie Klimke, the Executive Director for the Foundation for a Drug-Free World Florida Chapter. "In that same time frame, 7,769 people died from drug overdoses. Those victims are not numbers – those are people who were someone's child, someone's parent, someone's friend. It is up to all of us to do what we can to educate people on the truth about drugs so drugs aren't sought as an option in the first place."

To bring educational materials to people whose lives could be affected by drug abuse, the Drug-Free World volunteers took to Clearwater Beach on Sunday, a hub for locals and tourists alike. The volunteers distributed the Truth About Drugs booklets, which contain general information about what drugs are, how drugs affect the body and the mind and the effects of taking drugs.

"Our volunteers were continually thanked for getting out a message that is vital to our community," said Klimke. "When International Drug Overdose Awareness Day was established in 2001, one of the guiding principles set down was that only a community-wide effort can end overdoses and it is our duty to do our part."

For more information about the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, or to order free materials, go to www.drugfreeworld.org.

ABOUT DRUG FREE WORLD

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. Through a worldwide network of volunteers, 50 million drug prevention booklets have been distributed, tens of thousands of drug awareness events have been held in some 180 countries and Truth About Drugs public service announcements have been aired on more than 500 television stations.

Scientology founder and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "Research has demonstrated that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs." This, in turn, galvanized the Church and Scientologists to initiate the Truth About Drugs, a secular program through which they have worked with like-minded organizations for more than two decades to empower the millions with the truth about drugs.