Drug Awareness

The Elks National Drug Awareness Program is the largest volunteer drug awareness program in the US. We are very proud of our dedicated army of volunteers who freely give their time and talents to this most noble cause.

Since 1982, the Elks have developed an effective, community based drug-prevention program by partnering with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Office of National Drug Policy, and Mental Health Services Administration. Also national organizations like Pride Youth Programs. These partnerships ensure that the Elks Drug Awareness Program Addresses the leading drug abuse issues facing our communities today.

      The mission statement of the program is to promote constructive and cooperative approaches to prevent the use of illicit substances by the youth of the United States of America. This will be accomplished though education of both students and parents, and by assisting scholastic institutions with programs and materials.

     Conduct conferences, workshops, and training seminars to promote an understanding of substance abuse. To provide a vision and practical skills needed to help prevent substance abuse. To develop, collect, and circulate resources on substance abuse, including curriculum, manuals, articles, and other materials.

     We have a website for kids to go on, that is 100% sponsored and funded by the Elks. The site is www.elkskidszone.com. On this site are things to make it easier to discuss drug awareness. We have coloring books, handouts and even have teachers guide to help spread the word.

     During the school year, we have a poster contest for children to compete. The contest is for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, and the winning poster moves on through different levels, until it reaches the national competition. The child’s poster that wins, will be posted on the Kids Zone site, and may even distributed in our national coloring book. 

     Just like the poster contest, there is also an essay contest for the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. This again starts as a local lodge contest and works it’s way up to a national contest. The winners essay and may be featured on the Kids Zone site as well as Drug Awareness publications.

     Along with the contests, lodges in the state of New Jersey have a Peer Leadership program for High School students, and a Pathway to Leadership program for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. This program is to help develop children in our communities to become the leaders of tomorrow. All these programs are fully funded by the Elks and have no cost to an.

Funds donated for the Walk Out on Drugs will be sent to the Elks Peer Leadership Conference a portion of this will go directly supporting Peer Leadership group’s annual participation in the conference. Proceeds from this event will go towards the Peer Leadership conference we hold every February in Long Branch, NJ, where students learn how to combat drug abuse, bullying, peer pressure, and more.

Walk  Out On Drugs of heroin and opioid addiction in this state and the nation in an effort to educate the public of this epidemic this year we will have speakers from the New Jersey Department of Community Programming and Outreach talk about the use of illegal drugs and the illegal use of prescription drugs and what it can do to your body, your mind, your family, your friends, and your standing in society. If you have a child, a grandchild, a niece or a nephew, a god child you will not want to miss this important talk on what could be a life threatening experience to your loved ones.

In 2004, the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation was established in Camarena’s memory. Camarena’s wife Mika and son Enrique Jr. serve on the all-volunteer board of directors together with former DEA agents, law enforcement personnel, family and friends of Camarena’s, and others who share their commitment to alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention. As part of their ongoing Drug Awareness program, the Benevolent and Protective Order of awards an annual Enrique Camarena Award at local, state and national levels to a member of law enforcement.

  RED RIBBON WEEK, which is celebrated annually October 23-31, is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention awareness program started after the death of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who in 1985 was brutally murdered by drug traffickers he was investigating in Mexico. After his death, people started wearing red ribbons to honor Kiki’s sacrifice.