Red Ribbon Week, celebrated annually during the last week of October, highlights the importance of living a drug-free life. It presents an opportunity for parents, educators, and communities to reinforce the drug-free messages they share with their children throughout the year. During Red Ribbon Week, youth and adults around the nation pledge to increase their knowledge by learning more about the destructive effects of drug use, including prescription drug misuse, and renew their commitment to live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Red Ribbon Week started after the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who in 1985 was brutally tortured and murdered by drug traffickers he was investigating in Mexico. After Special Agent Camarena’s death, people from his hometown started wearing red ribbons to honor his sacrifice. Today, decades after his death, millions of people celebrate Red Ribbon Week by wearing red ribbons, participating in community anti-drug events, and pledging to live drug-free lives.
DEA kicked off its 2020 National Red Ribbon Campaign earlier this month with its first-ever virtual National Red Ribbon Rally. Read more about the Red Ribbon Rally here.
Take the National Red Ribbon Campaign Pledge now and be a part of the creation of a drug free America.
✓ I pledge to stay in school and learn the things that I need to know.
✓ I pledge to make the world a better place for kids like me to grow.
✓ I pledge to keep my dreams alive and be all that I can be.
✓ I pledge to help others and to keep myself drug free.
ABOUT DEA
The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets. dea.gov
For more ideas and information on Red Ribbon, visit www.dea.gov/redribbon.