Red Ribbon Week
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Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, smoking, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. It began as a tribute to fallen DEA special agent Enrique Camerena in 1985. According to the United States
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
, Red Ribbon Week is the nation's largest and longest-running drug awareness and prevention program.


History

Red Ribbon Week began after the kidnapping, torture, harassment, and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985.Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon Week
.
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
Camarena had been working undercover for
Guadalajara, Mexico Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Mexico, while the Guadalajar ...
for over four years. His efforts led to a tip that resulted in the discovery of a multimillion-dollar marijuana manufacturing operation in Chihuahua, Mexico.Gorman, Peter (Thursday June 15, 2006)
Big-time Smuggler's Blues
." ''
Cannabis Culture Cannabis culture describes a social atmosphere or series of associated social behaviors that depends heavily upon cannabis consumption, particularly as an entheogen, recreational drug and medicine. Historically cannabis has been used an enthe ...
''. Retrieved 1985.
Corrupt politicians working for drug traffickers kidnapped Camarena and his pilot, Captain Alfredo Zavala-Avelar (taken separately on the same day). Soon, representatives of the Mexican
Federal Judicial Police The Federal Judicial Police ( es, PolicĂ­a Judicial Federal, the PJF) was the federal police force of Mexico until it was shut down in 2002 due to its own rampant corruption and criminal activity. The jurisdiction of the Federal Judicial Police en ...
(MFJP) presented a tip to DEA agents claiming that Camarena had been mistakenly kidnapped by a man and his three sons. The MFJP informed the agents that a raid of the man's ranch in Angostura would take place the following morning and invited them to come. However, the MFJP raided the ranch before DEA agents arrived. During the raid, they shot and killed five individuals. Not long after, a passerby discovered the bodies of both Camarena and Zavala-Avelar by the side of the road not far from the ranch. The DEA's investigation revealed that Camarena had been tortured before he was murdered. Audiotapes of the torture showed that medical doctors actually kept Camarena alive in order to continue the interrogation. Evidence collected revealed that both Camarena and Zavala-Avelar were initially buried in another location, then moved to the ranch where they were found. The events that followed Camarena's disappearance were chronicled in U.S. media, exposing the world of drug trafficking including how far drug traffickers would go to maintain power and control.


National Prominence

After the men were found murdered, citizens in Camarena's hometown of
Calexico, California Calexico () is a city in southern Imperial County, California. Situated on the Mexican border, it is linked economically with the much larger city of Mexicali, the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California. It is about east of San Diego ...
donned red ribbons in his honor. The red ribbon became their symbol for prevention in order to reduce the demand of illegal drugs. California Congressman Duncan Hunter and teacher David Dhillon launched "Camarena Clubs" in California high schools. In 1986, club members presented a proclamation to Nancy Reagan, First Lady of the United States, who had initiated nationwide anti-drug programs. The following year, parent-teacher organizations in California, Illinois, and Virginia wore the red ribbons in late October and November. In 1988, the first National Red Ribbon Week was organized by the National Family Partnership (NFP), proclaimed by the
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...
and chaired by Nancy Reagan. Henry Lozano, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of
USA Freedom Corps USA Freedom Corps was a White House office and fifth policy council (along with Domestic, Economic, National Security, and Homeland Security) within the Executive Office of the President of the United States under George W. Bush, who as President ...
in 2007-2008, helped to launch Red Ribbon Week in 1985. In 1985, Lozano, along with the Californian's for Drug-Free Youth Board of Directors, created the first Statewide Red Ribbon Campaign in memory of his high school friend, Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent. With the support of Congressman Duncan Hunter and City Councilman David Dhillo, Lozano helped to promote "Camarena Clubs" in
Imperial Valley, California , photo = Salton Sea from Space.jpg , photo_caption = The Imperial Valley below the Salton Sea. The US-Mexican border runs diagonally across the lower left of the image. , map_image = Newriverwatershed-1-.jpg , map_caption = Map of Imperial ...
, Camarena's home. From these clubs emerged the Red Ribbon Week campaign, and during the administration of
President Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
it grew into a nationwide service effort.


DEA Red Ribbon Week Patch Program

The DEA Red Ribbon Week Patch Program was an effort by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration designed to provide members of the
Boy Scouts Boy Scouts may refer to: * Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement. * Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement. * An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are ...
and Girl Scouts the opportunity to earn a special patch by promoting and engaging in related anti-drug activities celebrated during Red Ribbon Week. The program was a promotional effort only occurring in 2018 and promised a limited run of up to 15,000 patches to qualifying scouts. According to the DEA, their purpose in creating the program was to "empower young people to engage in a drug-free activity and strengthen their anti-drug beliefs."


See also

*
War on Drugs The war on drugs is a global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the United States.Cockburn and St. Clair, 1 ...
*
Just Say No "Just Say No" was an advertising campaign prevalent during the 1980s and early 1990s as a part of the U.S.-led war on drugs, aiming to discourage children from engaging in illegal recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying ''no'' ...


References


External links


Enrique S. Camarena Foundation




{{Awareness ribbons Drug control law in the United States Alcohol in the United States October observances Awareness ribbon Awareness weeks