About Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week was inspired by one man who wanted to make a difference.

Enrique "Kiki" Camarena grew up in a house with a dirt floor. He worked his way through college, served in the Marines and later became a police officer. Pursuing his passion, Camarena then joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) where he was sent to Mexico to work undercover investigating a major drug cartel.

On Feb. 7, 1985, Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch and disappeared. One month later his body was found in a shallow grave. He had been tortured to death.

In honor of his memory, and his battle against illegal drugs, Camarena's friends and neighbors began to wear red satin badges. At the same time, parents outraged by the destruction caused by alcohol and other drugs began to form coalitions. Some of these groups adopted Camarena as their model, and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference. Many chose to wear the symbol of Camarena's memory: the red ribbon.  

In 1988, the National Family Partnership organized the first nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign. And in 1997, the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse committed to ensuring the future of the Red Ribbon Campaign in Texas.

Today, Red Ribbon Week is the most far-reaching and well-known drug prevention event in the country. The National Family Partnership estimates that over 80 million Americans participate in Red Ribbon events each year.

Red Ribbon Week serves as an opportunity for students, parents, law enforcement, teachers and schools to send a clear message that drugs damage lives whether through lost productivity, unfulfilled dreams, drugged driving incidents or addiction. It's also a chance to show that Camarena's spirit and hope for a drug-free America can never be extinguished.