Cannabis Use Among Danish Youth Drops as Education Campaigns Gain Ground

Children from “Truth About Drugs Denmark” lead major cannabis awareness effort as national youth drug use continues to decline

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (November 2025) – A new generation of young volunteers in Denmark is taking the lead in the fight against drug abuse. In 2025, children and teens affiliated with Truth About Drugs Denmark have engaged more than 500 local shopkeepers in Copenhagen to display and distribute The Truth About Drugs educational booklets. This initiative is the latest in a decades-long campaign supported by the Church of Scientology to promote drug-free living across the country.

Youth-Led Street Outreach Turns Shops into Education Points

Teams of young volunteers – aged 10 to 20 – have canvassed neighborhoods throughout Copenhagen, approaching businesses with a simple message: make factual information about drugs easily available to the public. More than 500 businesses have since agreed to participate by placing booklets at checkout counters and engaging customers in conversations about substance use.

Giulia, a public affairs advisor supporting the volunteers, described their impact: “They are showing adults that they care about our future—and that they are taking responsibility for it.”

The materials, developed by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, are secular and fact-based, covering the effects of drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, and alcohol. The campaign’s goal is to help people make informed decisions. One teenage volunteer explained: “This is about saving lives, not religion. We want people to know what drugs really do.”

Youth Cannabis Use Down Sharply in Denmark

The campaign coincides with encouraging national data: cannabis use among Danish youth has dropped significantly over the past decade. According to a November 2025 report by Center for Rusmiddelforskning (Danish Center for Drug Research), cannabis use among 15–25-year-olds has fallen from 44% in 2014 to 31.6% in 2025. Among young men, the drop is even steeper—from 51% to 34%.

A key reason? “There is simply more awareness and caution today,” said researcher Kirsten Frederiksen in a DR article. “The risk appetite isn’t as high as it used to be.”

Researchers cited broad dissemination of drug education materials as a contributing factor to this shift, suggesting that prevention campaigns are effectively reaching their audience. These findings support the relevance of grassroots efforts like the Copenhagen outreach.

A Longstanding Scientology-Supported Effort

This youth-led project builds on more than 30 years of drug education efforts by the Church of Scientology in Denmark. Since 1991, Scientology volunteers have distributed Truth About Drugs materials at major events, including the Copenhagen Marathon and the Royal Run, as well as in public spaces such as Strøget.

The campaign reflects the views of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote that “the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs.” Inspired by this principle, the Church has supported drug education projects in over 200 cities worldwide through its partnership with the Foundation for a Drug-Free World.

“They Are Already Changing the World”

European institutions increasingly recognize the value of youth-led prevention. Ivan Arjona, the Church of Scientology’s representative to the EU, OSCE, Council of Europe, and United Nations, emphasized the broader relevance of this campaign:

“Meaningful youth participation isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a blueprint for building resilient communities — one booklet and one conversation at a time. These young people are not waiting for permission to change the world… They are already doing it.”

By turning local shops into knowledge centers and empowering young voices, the campaign demonstrates how community engagement and evidence-based education can reshape attitudes and behavior—without stigma or coercion.

About the Church of Scientology

The Church of Scientology and its affiliated missions, groups, and members are active across the European continent. It continues to be recognized in multiple countries as a charitable and bona fide religion. Inspired by the humanitarian legacy of L. Ron Hubbard, the Church is committed to long-term education, prevention, and community betterment initiatives, particularly in the fields of drug prevention, human rights, and moral values education.