Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, 3rd Apr 2025 – In the heart of Copenhagen, a group of 15 young activists—aged 10 to 20—are rewriting the narrative on youth empowerment and community health. Inspired by the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and their faith in the Church of Scientology, these teens are spearheading a grassroots campaign to create a drug-free environment. Armed with educational booklets from The Truth About Drugs initiative, they’re turning local businesses into hubs of prevention, proving that age is no barrier to driving societal change. 

From Booklets to Action: A Youth-Led Movement 

Having started over a month, the group visits shops across Copenhagen, gaining the support of owners and shop assistants to display drug prevention materials at checkout counters. Their approach is simple but impactful: make critical information accessible to everyday customers, sparking conversations about the dangers of substance abuse. “They’re not just kids handing out flyers,” says Giulia, who guides them in this endeavor. “They are showing adults that they care about our future—and that they are taking responsibility for it.” 

Their efforts align with global frameworks like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which emphasizes youth participation in decisions affecting their lives. By engaging directly with businesses, the group embodies the spirit of some of UNICEF’s programs, which empowers young people to design solutions for community challenges. “These teens are bridging gaps between generations, ensuring their message resonates where it matters most” said Giulia, in charge of public affairs at the Church of Scientology in Denmark. 

Tackling a Local Crisis with Global Lessons 

Denmark has long grappled with youth drug use, particularly in areas like Copenhagen’s Freetown Christiania, where hash consumption reportedly remains prevalent. The group’s campaign addresses this head-on, mirroring strategies from what is done in other countries, and try to instil this to every other European country, combining education with community outreach to combat addiction before it arrives. 

Their work also reflects a vision of supporting recovery and prevention, proving that empowerment starts long before crisis intervention. The program, one of the world’s largest non-state drug prevention initiatives, is fully funded by members of the Church of Scientology, inspired by L. Ron Hubbard’s research on drug prevention and rehabilitation. However, the teens emphasize the universal message of their materials: facts about drug risks, peer pressure, and making healthy choices “Our religion teaches us to serve others, and do it with factual information” says one of the participants, “this is about saving lives, not religious beliefs.” 

A Model for Youth Agency Worldwide 

The group’s initiative resonates with many international programs, by equipping young people to drive social change. By partnering with local businesses, this recently started Truth About Drugs youth group, is fostering a culture of collective responsibility. Their actions also echo WHO’s call for youth engagement in health advocacy, positioning them as allies in Denmark’s public health goals. 

As these teens inspire shop owners and customers alike, they’re proving that meaningful youth participation isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a blueprint for building resilient communities—one booklet and one conversation at a time. “They are not waiting for permission to change the world,” says Ivan Arjona, Scientology’s representative to the European Union and the UN “They are already doing it.”