Creating a Drug-Free Belgium

Julie Delvaux and her team have distributed hundreds of thousands of booklets across Belgium.

Belgium is known for its architecture, art, culture and food. The country, however, faces a problem of alcohol and drug abuse, which leads to increased crime rates. Officials recorded over 285,000 crimes and 56,000 cases of drug dealing in one year alone.

But Julie Delvaux has another plan: a drug-free nation where youth can achieve their full potential. Though she was born in Brussels, Delvaux grew up in a small Belgian town and developed a passion for cycling at the age of five. As a teenager, her friends introduced her to alcohol and cannabis, the number one illicit drug in Belgium. Delvaux quickly realized the disastrous effects of the drug. “I felt like I didn’t have control over myself,” she says. At the age of 17, she moved to England, where she was away from alcohol and drugs and realized how much better she felt without them. She decided to lead a life free of alcohol and drugs.

On her return to Belgium, Delvaux realized how “normal” it was for people in her country to take drugs. She started to look for ways to handle the problem and was introduced to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World during an event she attended. “I loved the materials, which explain in a really factual way what drugs are,” she says.

Delvaux decided to use these materials as part of a prevention campaign. She created a group and set up information booths across the city, where they distributed The Truth About Drugs booklets to youth, parents and educators. They also encouraged people to try on “simulation glasses” that mimic the effects of drugs on a person. This became a star attraction, and children readily signed a pledge to lead a drug-free life after experiencing the demonstration. “I’m just laying out the truth for them so they can make the right choice,” says Delvaux.

Encouraged by the success of the campaign, Delvaux decided to double her efforts. Since bicycles are so popular in Belgium, she combined her childhood love for cycling with her mission to spread the Truth About Drugs. She and her team started a cycling tour to draw attention to their campaign. They covered the city of Antwerp, a busy port and the main entry point of drugs into Belgium. There they distributed booklets to 2,400 shopkeepers, who received them enthusiastically and immediately started handing the booklets out to their customers. “They are concise and correct, and very accessible for the public,” said one shopkeeper.

“My purpose is to give the right information to the youth so that they can make the right decision and stay drug-free.”

Through these tours, Delvaux and her team distributed more than 513,000 booklets. “My purpose is to give the right information to the youth so that they can make the right decision and stay drug-free,” she says.

Next, Delvaux looked at ways to create a ripple effect. She invited civic leaders to her events, who came with their friends and colleagues. She soon created over 50 community partnerships, effectively working toward a drug-free Belgium.

She then hit the airwaves. “With such materials, we can raise people’s awareness and effectively fight against drugs,” says the host of Radio Gold FM. Through multiple radio and TV interviews, newspapers and online articles, Delvaux shared her message with over 1.3 million people, thus reaching 11 percent of the Belgian population.

“I want young people to choose a drug-free life,” says Delvaux. “And with every book distributed and every kilometer we cycle, we are creating that movement.”

Learn more about Delvaux’s mission at Scientology.TV/JDelvaux.

SAVE YOUNG LIVES

Support the Foundation for a Drug-Free World and help protect young lives from the destructive effects of drugs. Your contributions enable us to make our educational materials available free of charge to schools, youth organizations and other groups and individuals. Your support helps empower people with the facts they need to live healthy, drug-free lives.