Henry Lozano shares journey from drug addiction to advocacy

Henry C. Lozano, 77, details his transformation from a heroin-addicted drug smuggler to a prominent advocate in his upcoming book, "Borderlands: One Man’s Journey from Addict to Advocate." Lozano recounts his early life spent trafficking narcotics across the California-Mexico border, which ultimately led to his incarceration in a federal penitentiary. He describes his conversion to Christianity as an "electrifying" encounter with light that pulled him out of the darkness of addiction.

Following his release from prison, Lozano credits his ongoing recovery to the support of the Christian Teen Challenge Ministry and the community of believers who surrounded him. He explains that while he faced lingering temptations, he believes God provided the strength to resist through the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of fellow disciples. Lozano’s commitment to helping others led him to co-found Red Ribbon Week in 1985, a national drug prevention campaign established in memory of his friend, DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. In 1996, he also founded the non-profit Californians for Drug-free Youth to further his work in community-based prevention.