Red Ribbon Week Runs October 23-31: DEA Leads National Drug Prevention Campaign With a Theme Written by a Connecticut Middle Schooler
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that Red Ribbon Week, the nation's largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign, will be observed from October 23 through October 31. In its October 2 announcement, the DEA said this year's campaign supports its Fentanyl Free America initiative and is aimed at parents, teachers, educators and community organizations.
The 2026 Red Ribbon theme, "Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free," was created by Ava Tackett, a student at Griswold Middle School in Griswold, Connecticut, and selected in collaboration with the National Family Partnership. "Dangerous and deadly drugs come in many forms, including powder, pills, and vapes. Vapes can contain nicotine, marijuana concentrates, and other illegal drugs, which can be extremely addictive," said DEA Administrator Terry Cole, adding that the campaign is a reminder of everyone's role in preventing drug misuse before it starts.
DEA's virtual 2026 National Red Ribbon Rally is available on demand at dea.gov/redribbon and getsmartaboutdrugs.com throughout October. The rally features remarks by Administrator Terry Cole and Sarah Carter, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a musical performance by Nashville country artist Christiana Alaire, and the announcement of the winners of DEA's 2026 Community Drug Prevention Awards and Visual Arts Contest. The agency has also released the new 2026 edition of its Drugs of Abuse publication, which provides science-based information about substances that endanger individuals and communities.
During Red Ribbon Week, the DEA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are sponsoring the 10th Annual Red Ribbon Campus Video PSA Contest, and the DEA is a co-sponsor of the National Family Partnership's annual Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest. A Red Ribbon tool kit with pledges, posters and public service announcements is available on the DEA website.
The Red Ribbon movement began in 1985, after DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was killed in Mexico: residents of his hometown of Calexico, California, began wearing red ribbons in his honor, and the practice spread across the state and the country. The National Family Partnership then turned Red Ribbon Week into a national campaign, proclaimed by the U.S. Congress and chaired by then President and Mrs. Reagan. For four decades, Red Ribbon Week has been observed every year from October 23 to 31.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：红丝带周开幕活动上的禁毒宣誓卡，卡上写有「我支持红丝带周」「我宣誓过健康、无毒的生活」（资料图，2024年10月摄）。美国空军官方照片，Senior Airman Essence Myricks 摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布／Photo: Red Ribbon Week pledge cards at an opening ceremony (file photo, October 2024). U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Essence Myricks, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
