The Red Ribbon Campaign is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program, annually reaches millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week, celebrated from October 23-31 each year.
The 2026 Red Ribbon Week® theme, “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™”, created by Ava Tackett, a student at Griswold Middle School in Griswold, Connecticut, with guidance from Health Teacher Kristen Butremavic. The theme highlights that choosing to live drug-free is an act of leadership and courage and that everyday decisions can positively influence peers, families, and communities.
