Red Ribbon Week 2026: Be a Hero. Make A Difference. Stay Drug Free.

Each year, Red Ribbon Week, October 23-October 31, brings communities together to raise awareness about substance use prevention and encourage healthy, drug-free choices. The 2026 theme is, "Be a Hero. Make a Difference. Stay Drug-Free." This reminds us that everyone can make a difference.

Prevention is more than encouraging individuals to make healthy choices. It also means creating supportive communities, families, and workplaces where people have access to accurate information, positive opportunities, and resources that reduce risk before substance use begins. This upstream approach to prevention helps strengthen communities and supports beneficial environments for all.

At the NYC Regional Addiction Resource Center, we recognize Red Ribbon Week as an opportunity to continue raising awareness surrounding prevention across all five boroughs.

This Red Ribbon Week, be a hero in your community. Make a difference. Stay drug-free.

Visit the NYC Regional Addiction Resource Center's website for prevention resources, toolkits, and much more at: https://www.rarc-iuany.org