St. Petersburg, FL , April 28, 2016 (Newswire.com) - The number of bright lights snuffed out by drug overdoses is the sadder side of Hollywood’s glamour: Cory Monteith, Robin Williams and Amy Weinhouse are notable examples. But these untimely deaths are just the tip of a very large iceberg – Americans are dying from drug overdoses at an alarming rate.
This is why Julieta Santagostino, President of the Foundation for a Drug Free World of Florida is bringing her group of volunteers the Truth About Drugs program to the 11th Annual Sunscreen Film Festival. The foundation is funded, in part, by grants from the International Association of Scientologists.
"The booklets are popular because they spell right out what drugs are, what they do to you physically and mentally. The Public Service Announcements graphically show how drugs actually make a person behave and feel - it isn't pretty."
Julieta Santagostino, President of the Foundation for a Drug Free World of Florida
“In 2015, more than 47,000 men and women died from drug overdoses,” said Julieta Santagostino, the President of the Foundation for a Drug Free World of Florida. “The entertainment industry can have a huge impact on how drugs are perceived. When people see how unglamorous drug addiction is – in films like “Traffic” – it makes an impact. But just knowing the truth of what drugs can do is that also makes an impact.”
The Foundation is providing booklets and copies of the award-winning “They Said...They Lied” public service announcements to theater goers. This includes a booklet about Tampa Bay’s newest drug scourge, synthetic drugs. These public service announcements will be available for viewing.
“The booklets are popular because they spell right out what drugs are, what they do to you physically and mentally,” said Ms. Santagostino. “The Public Service Announcements graphically show how drugs actually make a person behave and feel – it isn’t pretty.”
Now in its 11th year, the Sunscreen Film Festival, in downtown St. Petersburg, will screen dozens of films from around the world. The Festival brings in filmmakers, actors and screenwriters for four days of independent films and intense workshops covering many different aspects of the art of film.
In 2010, the Festival premiered the documentary “The Truth About Drugs”, which is part of the Foundation’s educational program.
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. These materials and activities have helped people around the world learn about the destructive side effects of drugs and thereby make the decision for themselves to not use them.
Regarding drugs, Humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”
The Church of Scientology and its and its members are dedicated to eradicating drug abuse through education and invite the participation of anyone of any faith who share the goal of a drug-free world.
For more information about the Sunscreen Film Festival, please go to www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com.
For more information about the Foundation for a Drug Free World, please go to www.drugfreeworld.org.
Contact info: Lisa Mansell 727-4676860
Source: Foundation for a Drug-Free World
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